The first meeting was held at the York Road Estate in Battersea, London, where plans are being developed for a major regeneration scheme. Future meetings will be held at estates across the country.
His panel of 17 advisors includes Berkeley Homes chairman Tony Pidgley and Grosvenor Estates chief executive Peter Vernon, representing developers. Others come from local government, housing associations and design disciplines.
The prime minister announced last month that £140m would be made available to jump-start the regeneration of 100 run-down estates. The expectation is that the loan funding will enable communities to lever in investment to deliver redevelopments.
Tenants’ rights will be at the heart of any regeneration, Lord Heseltine promised, seeking to appease fears that residents were going to be thrown out to make way for private housing.
Lord Heseltine said: “Estates regeneration is key to transforming the lives of people living on poorly designed housing projects. The panel will provide expert advice, support and explore innovative funding solutions to drive forward the regeneration of estates around the country.
“However, I am clear that this has to be locally led and we must work with the residents of such estates. I now want to see local communities coming forward with innovative ideas to achieve desirable neighbourhoods that local people can be proud of.”
Members of the Estates Regeneration Panel are:
- Councillor Ravi Govindia, leader of Wandsworth Council
- Nicholas Boys Smith, director of Create Streets, a social enterprise and independent research institute which pushes for well designed estates
- Andrew Boff, leader of the Greater London Authority Conservatives housing group
- Elaine Bailey, chief executive, from Hyde Housing Association, which successfully regenerated the Packington Estate in Islington
- Paul Tennant, chief executive from Orbit Housing Association, which successfully regenerated Erith Estate in Bexley
- Tony Pidgley, chairman of Berkeley Homes
- Peter Vernon, chief executive of Grosvenor Estates
- Jane Duncan, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
- Ben Bolgar, director of design theory and networks at the Prince’s Foundation
- Dominic Grace, head of London residential development at estates agents Savills
- Emma Cariaga from the British Land and Thames Valley Housing Association
- David Budd, mayor of Middlesbrough
- Natalie Elphicke, chief executive of the Housing & Finance Institute
- Graham Allen, MP for Nottingham North
- Felicie Krikler, associate director at Assael Architecture.
The group will work with a range of local stakeholders, including communities, local authorities, landlords, investors, builders, housing associations, “and anyone else with ideas and ambition” to draw up the national strategy for estate regeneration by the autumn.
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