Investing in neighbourhoods

Renewing Neighbourhoods …. Improving Lives

Neighbourhood is what matters to people. As a Housing Group, we want our customers to be proud of their homes and neighbourhoods. We want them to have choice, involvement and a better quality of life.

By listening to our customers and involving them in what we do, we strive to continually improve the business to meet their needs and aspirations.

In 2003, Whitefriars took its first major steps towards moving into the field of housing development, to provide high quality new and replacement homes across the City and built its first four, three bedroom semi-detached houses in the Tile Hill district.

Planning permission for a further 31 units in the area, including much needed two bedroom elderly person bungalows, was also obtained.

In conjunction with one of its main partners, Wates, Whitefriars is also redeveloping the difficult to let area of Hillside Meadway and Valley Road area of Stoke Heath with a mix of 269 properties for rent and open market sale.

Extensive consultation was undertaken with residents to ensure that the properties provided met the needs of existing tenants wishing to remain in the area. The development will include the provision of a secure and aesthetically pleasing design, incorporating communal green space and enhancement of the existing Stoke Heath community centre. The project will also fund play equipment on adjacent parkland.

Hillfields is another major area benefiting from renewal by Whitefriars, with the first of a proposed eight tower blocks being cleared to make way for the ambitious Swanswell regeneration project, being undertaken in partnership with major stakeholders in the City including the City Council, NHS Trust and City College. Tenants from the cleared block began to move into Pioneer House on the Estate which is undergoing a £2.2million refurbishment scheme to remodel the flats, improve communal areas and provide concierge facilities on the ground floor.

At the New Deal for Communities Area (Wood End, Henley Green, Manor Farm and Deedmore Estates) a master planning exercise involving the whole community was undertaken to shape the future design of the estates, the provision of community facilities and improvements to public areas. The scheme will comprise building around 2500 houses for sale, 1000 new homes for rent by Whitefriars and 150 homes for residents who will initially move out due to the regeneration. The 12-15 year development programme will start in 2008.

Whitefriars Housing Group Ltd is one of the four main members of the North Solihull Partnership. The others are Solihull Borough Council, leading house builder Bellway Homes and specialist investment company Inpartnership Ltd. The three wards of Solihull Borough Council, which are being regenerated, are Chelmsley Wood, Fordbridge and Kingshurst, and Smithswood, with a total population approaching 40,000.

Whitefriars is using its expertise and experience in community engagement to direct massive consultation exercises with residents to allow them to shape the regeneration package, help steer the partnership and jointly lead the master planning operation. Visit our 'North Solihull Partnership' page for more information.