New communities, new challenges

Residents' experiences of services and facilities on new housing association estates in Isleworth

New Communities, New Challenges was a research project which examined new housing association developments, their residents and local community services and facilities.

Funded through a Housing Corporation Innovation and Good Practice Grant, the project was commissioned by Catalyst Communities HA, in partnership with four other housing associations and the London Borough of Hounslow.

Market Research UK conducted 500 face-to-face interviews and 5 focus group meetings to obtain quantitative and qualitative information from residents of three new housing association estates. As a benchmark for comparison, household interviews were also carried out with residents in established local authority estates in Isleworth, and one private housing estate.

The research investigated the wider effects of new housing association developments in Isleworth, and in particular looked at:

• The use of local community services and facilities by tenants in the new developments
• The extent to which tenants' needs are met by the existing community facilities
• The impact on the existing community facilities of the influx of new users
• The effects on tenants' employment resulting from the move to the new accommodation.

Key findings

Generally, residents were happy with their homes and their neighbourhood, but there were specific issues that have had an impact on the quality of life in their environment:

• Concern about the way in which housing allocation policies could affect the social balance of the community.
• Concern about the lack of community amenities on-site to cater for a range of ages and interests.
• The desire for more effective targeting of anti-social elements.
• The desire for improvements to facilities and services for young people.
• The desire for improvements to the estate infrastructure (for example better bus routes, more car parking, more green spaces, better maintenance of the hard and soft landscaping).

Recommendations

Continued formation of formal and informal links and partnerships by all the relevant agencies involved in the development of new communities

Specific measures could include:

• funding a post of Partnership Worker, who could co-ordinate activities, act as the liaison point between the various agencies; facilitate and service meetings; undertake research; disseminate good practice; attend community forums and report back as necessary; and ensure that key issues are identified and put forward for resolution
• establishing a forum for housing partners to meet regularly to discuss strategic issues on new developments
• preparing joint bids for European Social Fund and other funding sources.

Support for an integrated programme of community development

Specific measures could include:

• funding a Neighbourhood Worker to undertake community development and to act as the main liaison between the residents and the various agencies involved
• supporting new and existing community groups through training initiatives, committee support and ensuring they remain viable
• establishing local forums to bring together local statutory and voluntary agencies to share information and address key issues of concern
• supporting individual residents with training initiatives, and promoting active involvement though volunteering.

Responses to the specific constraints experienced by lone parents

Specific measures could include:

• education and training programmes of direct relevance to lone parents delivered to the estates, tailored to fit in with school hours and holidays
• education and training programmes of direct relevance to lone parents delivered to the estates, tailored to fit in with school hours and holidays
• provision of supervised childcare for lone parents involved in community activities, including training
• support for vulnerable families under stress, through schemes such as Home Start
• attention given to safety concerns of women on estates through better design.

Improved communication about housing management policies and practices

Specific measures could include:

• involving residents and potential residents more closely in the allocation process and nomination arrangements when new communities are developed
• improved communication with residents about the services and facilities provided by agencies, using a range of different media to ensure 'reach'
• providing clear information to residents about the responsibilities of the different agencies providing services to estates
• detailed consideration of the 'mix' of households on estates, to prevent concentrations of families with young children
• active exploration with relevant agencies of innovative and effective measures to reduce juvenile nuisance and criminal damage on estates.

Support for relevant and imaginative uses for local amenities

Specific measures could include:

• ensuring effective communication to residents on the facilities and community amenities available, with particular emphasis on the use of IT
• support to committees to enable them to run community centres effectively, and consideration of subsidy and other innovative funding mechanisms to enable these centres to be sustained
• skills audit of residents by residents, to build up local networks and resident involvement and to identify training and other needs of the community.

Download the full report

New Communities, New Challenges  

December 2000 (171KB / 43 pages)

The research project was funded through an Innovation and Good Practice Grant provided by the Housing Corporation. The summary reproduced above and the full report are ©The Housing Corporation 2000.