Repairs & Improvements

Tollington Estates

Information on this page:
About the Tollington Estate
Resident consultation on improvement
Transfer ballot results
Way forward
Refurbishing residents’ homes
Improving the local area – the Andover Estate
Improving the local area – the Six Acres Estate
Local Project Team
Police input
Keeping residents aware and involved
Tenants and residents associations
Contacts

 

About the Tollington Estate
The Tollington Estates is the collective name for the housing estates of Andover, Six Acres, Clifton Court and Haden Court. These properties are in the Finsbury Park area of the borough.

• 1579 homes (1034 on Andover, 356 on Six Acres and 189 on Haden/Clifton).
• Andover Estate comprises of 1970’s built mixed high and low-rise blocks. The housing is very dense with a poor layout and numerous security problems.
• Six Acres is a 1960’s estate comprising of medium rise maisonettes and flats.
• Haden/ Clifton is a 1960’s estate comprising one high-rise block and low-rise blocks.
• Generally the estates represent high-density social housing in one of Islington’s most deprived wards.

Resident consultation on improvement
Extensive consultation since 2002 sought residents preferred option to deliver an improvement programme for the estates. Central to the options considered was resident involvement.

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Transfer ballot results
Residents requested Islington Council to pursue the option of transferring the estates to a registered social landlord (RSL). The ballot undertaken in November 2003 was negative.

The exit survey showed that the improvement proposals were not the main reasons for voting against the transfer. Residents still wanted a solution to alleviate poor housing conditions and a poorly designed estate layout and environment.

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Way forward
Following the negative ballot residents met with the council and Homes for Islington representatives to agree a way forward.

• The need to improve the estates remained.
• Following changes in legislation and acknowledgement of the need for investment a budget of £33.88m was agreed to bring the Tollington Estates up to the Decent Homes Standards.
• In addition LBI in partnership with HFI as the delivery agent was successful in winning a bid for £7.88m to improve the external environment.
• The Tollington Estates were part of the SRB (single regeneration budget) bid for Finsbury Park and £1.65m was allocated to improve the external environment.
• The Islington Council was informed in November 2006 that the London Regional Housing Board had approved a bid for £5.15m for external improvements on the Six Acres Estate.
• The total budget for the estates is £48.68m.
• In addition One Housing Group was selected to build the replacement housing on Six Acres Estate. Residents were part of the selection process and were pivotal to the re-design options for the estate. The replacement housing will allow for a new road network and better layout of the estate.

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Refurbishing residents’ homes

• In line with HFI’s partnering ethos two principal constructors; Balfour Beatty and Eugena, were selected to undertake the works on the estates as part of our framework contracts. Many bridges have been built between residents and the constructors; the continuity and consistency of work has resulted in an independent resident satisfaction level of 96% for the work itself and 98% of residents were satisfied with the way the contractor undertook the work.
• Internal refurbishment commenced in December 2004
• All external repairs and window replacements on the Tollington Estate have now been completed.
• Residents across the Tollington Estates are happy with their new kitchens, bathrooms, boilers and windows, as was highlighted in an independent survey.
• All properties on the Tollington Estates have met the Decent Homes Standards and the final properties were completed in June 2007. This is eighteen months ahead of our initial programme.

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Improving the local area – the Andover Estate
On the Andover Estate, improving security and sight-lines are the primary environmental concerns. To address these issues, the masterplan for the estate includes the following proposals:

• There are twelve courtyards on the estate; following the proposed installation of new intercom and entryphone systems, these will become semi-private areas for the residents who live in the surrounding properties.
• A central control station will be built at the base of one of our blocks in the middle of the estate, from which our tall blocks will be monitored using CCTV.
• Lighting around the main thoroughfares on the estate will be upgraded.
• Sight lines will be improved by the selective demolition of outbuildings.
• Link bridges between certain blocks will be removed to impede criminal activity at the bequest of the police.
• The Andover Community Centre has had a new entrance to prevent loitering in recessed areas and to make the building a more welcoming facility.
• It is anticipated that works to the Andover Estate environmental improvements will commence in July 2008. A 48 week contract has been awarded to Balfour Beatty.

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Improving the local area – the Six Acres Estate

• On the Six Acres Estate, a block that did not meet building regulations has been demolished. This site and others will then be redeveloped to provide new housing
• The opportunity now exists for us to make significant improvements in and around the demolition site.
• Islington Council has had approved a £5.15m bid to the Government; this will enable significant improvements to be made to the estate. These will include improved security to all blocks, a new road to open up the estate, selective demolition to improve sight-lines, CCTV, landscaping and improved lighting.
• One Housing Group has been appointed to develop several sites on the estate and replace the properties lost following the demolition of Churnfield and in addition to build properties for owner occupation and shared ownership.

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Local Project Team
The local Project Team distributes a newsletter that covers the improvements and welcomes comments on proposals. The Project Team also arranges consultation days and visits to other sites to show examples of the types of improvements that are proposed.

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Police input
The local Police have also had input in the environmental proposals through their Crime Prevention Design Adviser. In addition, Finsbury Park benefits from a Safer Neighbourhoods Police Team, which has contributed to the final design for the estates. This team will be involved with the initial setting up of the CCTV scheme to ensure its success.

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Keeping residents aware and involved
Much consultation has now been undertaken with the residents concerning the proposed environmental improvements to their estates. As a result of this, it has been necessary to change the plans to accommodate the concerns that some of our residents have had. Whilst this has delayed the process, the Project Team feel that it is important that our residents participate fully in the final masterplan for the estates. There have been several open days and presentation days, where proposals for the environmental improvements have been discussed with residents.

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Tenants and residents associations
Each estate has its own Tenants and Residents’ Association (TRA) and we consult regularly with these groups. In addition, the TRAs have come together to form a separate organisation to represent the Tollington estates’ residents, which is known as LINKS.

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Contacts
The Project Team is based in the Durham Road Community Rooms.

Project Manager - David Ronan 020 7527 3976
Project Officer - Albert Neal 020 7527 3977

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Further information

• View the project programme and proposals are available for display on request.
• Residents may wish to drop by the office or make a specific appointment to speak to one of the project team officers.
• A newsletter is sent to all homes on the estates with the latest information, it also notifies residents of the proposals for their home and the overall masterplan for their estate as it is being developed. The newsletter and any significant update information will be posted on the Homes for Islington website. See Tollington News

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