A review of the

Windsor Road Regeneration Programme  

Background:

On 18^th September 2017, Cabinet granted approval to include the Windsor Road, Penarth, Housing Regeneration Scheme into the Private Sector Housing Renewal Policy 2014. The rationale for the intervention was based on a shift towards a Housing Regeneration approach to Private Sector Housing. In previous schemes, investment had been supported by Welsh Government grants which allowed large areas of housing to be included in programmes for investment. However, as the Welsh Government Grant for Renewal Areas came to an end in March 2017, smaller geographic areas needed to be targeted for investment.

Utilising Section 106 receipts from the Penarth Heights Development, a series of improvements were being proposed for the area surrounding Windsor Road, including improvements to green spaces and improvements relating to pedestrian/traffic management. Combined with the above the Windsor Road Housing Regeneration scheme would maximise the spatial impact of the proposed improvements. In addition, in 2013 Soltys Brewster Consulting produced a strategy in collaboration with Penarth Tourism and Visitor Association entitled Gateway to Penarth - Windsor Road. The lower section of Windsor Road was identified as being the most in need of enhancement to ensure the gateway to Penarth provided the best possible impression which would contribute towards Penarth in terms of tourism, town centre and business development.

During 2017, Council had allocated in the capital programme, a sum of £150K, £300K and £300K in 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20 respectively to Housing Regeneration and in their meeting of 18^th September 2017, Cabinet agreed that in financial years 2017/18 and 2018/19, funding be used to facilitate a housing regeneration area in Windsor Road, Penarth.

A three-phase approach to the area was adopted as follows:

PHASE 1 – Facelift of front elevation of residential properties

PHASE 2 – Boundary wall scheme

PHASE 3 – Footway reconditioning

PROGRAMME OUTPUTS

Phase 1: Windsor Road Facelift Scheme

The Windsor Road Facelift Scheme covered residential properties Nos. 100-160, 164-172 and No. 157 Windsor Road. Facelift Grants were offered free of charge to both owner occupiers and landlords covering:

• The renewal of timber fascia and soffit boards in PVC
• The replacement of timber doors and windows
• The renewal of bay roof coverings
• External redecoration
• The renewal of rainwater gutters and downpipes
• Stone / brick cleaning and repointing
• Application of over-rendering system where relevant

Phase 2: Boundary wall scheme

Although the Facelift Scheme met all expectations with the original character of the properties restored and a consistent and uniform street scene achieved, it also highlighted the poor-quality boundary walls fronting the terrace. Many of the walls had been rebuilt over the years in a variety of different materials with some properties having already lost their front wall and others in a state of collapse. Unless attention was given to improving these walls, the impact of the Facelift Scheme would never have been fully realised.

 

Before 

 

 

After

Phase 2 of the regeneration programme therefore comprised a boundary wall scheme. Under this scheme, the existing front boundary walls were removed and replaced with a new dwarf, brickwork wall with railings over and matching gate, with the party walls between properties rebuilt in a full height, solid brick wall      

Phase 3: Footway reconditioning       

Utilising Section 106 monies, the final phase of the programme saw the existing, slabbed footway removed and replaced in tarmac

Cracked and uneven surface to original slabbed footway with trip hazards.

New black tarmac footway

Feedback from Customer Satisfaction Survey          

In July 2019 a customer satisfaction survey was delivered to all properties that had participated in the regeneration programme. Out of the 38 eligible properties, 16 returns were received representing a 42% return. The following results were recorded:                                                                                     

 In addition to the above:

• 50% of owners confirmed that the regeneration programme had encouraged them to undertake further home improvements
•  75% of owners thought that the  improvements made would be long lasting

Owners comments……………..

• “Delighted with everything we had done but the front wall and railings  were the icing on the cake”
• “The whole process from beginning to end was carried out to the highest standard resulting in a street we are proud to live in”
• “It makes the approach to Penarth much nicer”

3^rd September 2019