E-bulletin May 2010

Hello there - and welcome to our latest Chief Executive and Chairman's e-bulletin.

We aim to bring you the top stories from Plus Dane Group and to demonstrate the real impact that our neighbourhood investor philosophy is having on the ground. We hope that you enjoy reading our e-bulletin. If you have any comments, or would like to find out more about our work, please contact us.

Best wishes

Ken Perry                                                                                John Pollard
Chief Executive                                                                        Chairman
 

Work begins at £11M Village Square, Castlefields

Construction work has started to develop an exciting new local centre for Castlefields.

The £11M Village Square development is part of a £93M investment in the Castlefields neighbourhood – making it a great place to live, work, learn and play. Residents will enjoy new shops, community centre, health centre, homes, improved transport facilities and a vibrant new public square.

Plus Dane Group is the lead developer for the new Village Square and is a lead partner in the regeneration of Castlefields, working with Halton Borough Council, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), LHT and the North West Development Agency (NWDA). The award-winning partnership has already demolished nearly 900 unpopular deck access flats, built nearly 600 new homes and delivered superb community facilities at Phoenix Park.  Local people also recently got together to celebrate the opening of the refurbished Caesar’s Close Play Area.

The new Village Square has received £2.5M Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) grant, £1.76M funding from Halton Borough Council and over £2M investment from Plus Dane Group. The Village Square is due to be completed in 2011. Demolition of the existing centre is underway and will be completed by the end of the month.

First Time Buyers’ Show for Ellesmere Port

A unique event designed to help first-time buyers get a foot on the property ladder is coming to Ellesmere Port.

The Key Event: The First Time Buyers’ Show is at Ellesmere Port Civic Hall, Civic Way, Ellesmere Port on Saturday, 12 June. The event is open to the public from 10am – 3pm and entrance is free. 

The event provides the full package of information, advice and support – with exhibitors including housebuilders, lenders, independent financial advisors and solicitors.

The First Time Buyers’ Show is organised by HomesHub (part of Plus Dane Group) and supported by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Cheshire West and Chester Council. HomesHub is the HomeBuy Agent for Cheshire and Merseyside, providing a one-stop shop service to customers seeking an affordable home.

Last year, The Key Event (Merseyside), also organised by HomesHub with support from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), attracted an exciting range of exhibitors and over 500 visitors.

For further information please visit www.firsttimebuyersshow.com or contact HomesHub on 0845 603 4559.

Pol takes on national role

Pól O’Gray, tenant Board Member for Plus Dane, has been appointed as a board member for the new National Tenant Voice (NTV) organisation, following a rigorous selection procedure.

The NTV will give tenants a greater say on the housing issues that affect them, and will be advised and supported by a council made up of 50 social housing tenants from across the country. 

Pol is currently the Chairman of Plus Dane Group’s New Generation Board. The Board will work closely with the Tenants’ Services Authority (TSA), local government and other stakeholders to ensure that the voice of some 8.4 million tenants continues to be heard.

He said: "It's a great challenge which I welcome.  It will be fantastic to work at this level and have the opportunity to make a real difference for tenants. I will also be able to bring back learning and best practice to benefit Plus Dane and the customers it serves."

TV star opens Heath View

Residents of Plus Dane’s new £5.9m extra-care facility in Congleton, Heath View, enjoyed meeting soap star Michael le Vell during its official opening ceremony.

Michael, who plays Kevin Webster in the show, chatted to tenants, and was given a guided tour of the facilities on offer.

Heath View provides independent living for older people in the area, with modern accommodation, a bistro, hair salon, and 24 hour care and support.

The project was led by Plus Dane, with a £1.7m grant from the Homes and Communities Agency.

Molly Parrott, one of Heath View’s first residents, said: "I think I am exceptionally lucky to be living in Heath View. It is a lovely place."

New appointments

Paul Corry has joined Plus Dane as Head of Communications, from his previous role as Director of Public Affairs at national mental health charity Rethink. Sarah Moston, formerly with the Northwest Regional Development Agency, is our new PR Manager, and Robert Doyle has become our internal reporter/writer, following on from his time at the Blackpool Gazette.

We also welcome two new Neighbourhood Managers in Merseyside, Kevin Powe and Ali Phillipson.

Launch event for Evolve

Two exciting new projects were launched in the Evolve neighbourhood in Bootle. A brochure called Learn to Earn was unveiled, which aims to help people back into work and training by providing advice on issues such as benefits, debt, and how to access courses and support.  Also launched at the same event was the new DVD produced by the Evolve Residents Advisory Panel (RAP) and Youth Forum. The DVD looks at the past, present and future of the Queens Bedford area and was created with the help of many local people.

Community safety initiatives

Two new community safety initiatives have been introduced in the neighbourhoods we serve. Homes in Sheil Park, Liverpool, had fallen victim to actual and attempted break-ins. Plus Dane staff, working together with Merseyside Police and with funding from Liverpool City Council, led a new ‘target hardening’ project to make properties more secure. Measures such as extra security for windows, anti-vandal paint and the distribution of property marking kits have made residents feel safer in their own homes.

In Sandbach, Cheshire, a new partnership with local police was launched to introduce No Cold Calling zones in streets inhabited by older people in bungalows. A community event explained the dangers of cold callers, and offered advice on how to deal with people on the doorstep, as well as warning of specific scams. Signs and stickers will be put up to publicise the No Cold Calling zone, and residents were also given special pens to mark their belongings.