The community pledge for Byker
Our vision is that the Byker Estate will be an exemplar of modern living. It will retain its physical and social integrity, and both buildings and open space will be well maintained. Individual neighbourhoods within the estate will retain their own character.
All interventions and improvements to the estate will follow Erskine’s principle for Byker that it should be ‘a developing estate that changes to suit the community’s needs’ and reflect the heritage value afforded by Grade II* listed status.
Byker needs a unique vision for a unique place. Tenants will need to be fully engaged in this process as we go forward. In that way we can invest together in the best possible future for the residents of Byker.
This vision will be delivered by:
• Working with the communities who live on the estate to develop a long term investment plan to improve significantly the physical, social and environmental fabric of the estate.
• Maintaining opportunity for short and medium-term physical measures which, as part of the longer-term investment plan, reflect the needs and aspirations of current and future residents for quality home and environment.
• Supporting existing communities and attracting new and diverse people to the area.
• Developing employment opportunities, improving the skills of local people and helping to raise overall income levels.
• Building on the distinctive neighbourhood development and characteristics defined by Erskine in different parts of the Estate.
HM Government, through the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), will work with Newcastle City Council, the community and other partners to achieve this vision - by offering local people the chance to own and manage the estate through an independent Community Trust.
The local community will play a key role in the trust, which will own and manage the estate with support from Your Homes Newcastle. The trust will also work to offer a wider neighbourhood management service and bring investment into the estate.
If the local community agree with the proposal, HM Government will support a community trust by writing off debt associated with the estate and removing the estate from housing subsidy calculation, and by supporting (through the Homes and Communities Agency) ongoing Decent Homes improvements as well as investment in affordable homes.
Newcastle City Council will support a community trust by using its prudential borrowing powers to support major investment in the estate prior to the transfer to the trust, by funding the trust’s start-up and development costs, and through future investment in the estate and associated development sites.
We will continue to work towards these aims in close partnership with the local community, local elected members, Your Homes Newcastle, English Heritage and others.
Rt Hon John Healey MP
Housing Minister
Pat Ritchie
Regional Director
Homes and Communities Agency
Councillor John Shipley
Leader
Newcastle City Council
Professor Peter Roberts
Chair of the Byker Investment Task Force