Residents of housing estates across York will begin to see improvements where they live, according to the council’s housing spokesperson.
Cllr Michael Pavlovic said £250,000 plans to regenerate Walmgate and plans to revamp The Groves showed what the future held for places like Westfield, Chapelfields, Foxwood and Tang Hall.
The Labour housing executive member added projects approved on Tuesday, January 27 came amid plans to spend around £1 million on improving communal areas across York’s council housing estates.
But Cllr Andrew Waller, Liberal Democrat ward member for Westfield, said while the funding was welcome, it was vital estate tenants were involved in drawing up plans for their areas.
It comes as plans for the council’s Neighbourhood Improvement Programme which was approved on Tuesday.
The programme is funded through the council’s Housing Revenue Account, the money it collects from tenants’ rents.
It includes £250,000 for the South Walmagate Improvement Proposals which were backed by the council’s executive in October.
Plans drawn up by architects Mikhail Riches include 36 new affordable, Passivhaus homes which are set to be built on the site of the former Willow House care home off Wlamgate.
The vacant Long Lane building is set to be demolished to make way for the homes, subject to council planning applications being approved.
Proposals for Walmgate also include pavement resurfacing, pocket parks, tree planting, communal food growing areas and measures to tackle antisocial behaviour including closing cut throughs deemed to be trouble spots.
A communal garden stewardship scheme would also be set up to allow residents to manage shared spaces, along with plans for public art and improvements to Walmgate’s parade of shops.
The Neighbourhood Improvement Programme also includes £10,000 earmarked to help The Groves Residents Assocation draw up plans for the area.
Neighbourhood Caretakers launched in September to help improve public spaces are set for £70,000 to buy equipment and a new electric van.
A condition survey of communal spaces in council housing estates is set for funding worth £32,000, with a further £40,000 set aside for ad-hoc improvements.
Guildhall’s Labour ward councillor Dave Merrett said public meetings had formed a crucial part of the process of drawing up plans for Walmgate.
Cllr Merrett said: “Improving security and tackling drug dealing and anti-social behaviour was a big ask that has been fed through into how council officers take the improvement plan forward.”
But Cllr Waller said he was concerned the link between residents and officers while preparing the plans had been broken.
He said: “There was a time when every tenant in every estate could see improvements happening in the area where they lived as a result of decisions they had been a part of.
“The improvement funds are coming from rents, it’s vital that people living in our estates feel involved.”
Council housing director Pauline Stutchfield said officials could improve engagement on projects but she added they had been under pressure to spend the money soon.
Cllr Pavlovic said he wanted to move away from just talking about improving areas to doing something.
The executive member said: “There’s areas in York and estates that haven’t seen investment for a long time, you only have to walk around them.
“This is the future, you will see a difference this year and in future years, that’s our commitment to tenants.”
“The scheme in Walmgate has been widely consulted on.
Tuesday’s meeting also saw council policies on tackling antisocial behaviour and damp and mould in homes run by the authority.
Domestic abuse and hate incidents and crimes have been added to antisocial behaviour policies.
Efforts to tackle damp and mould come as councils and other social housing providers are legally required to act promptly after new rules came into force in October.
