Gerald Road Arrowhead Area
The Arrowhead, Block Improvement Scheme
The Arrowhead is the working title for 161 properties bounded by Seaford Road, Gerald Road and Cromwell Road.
This area was recognised by both the NDC Neighbourhood Renewal assessment and the New Deal For Communities “Development Framework” as a sustainable neighbourhood, that would benefit from home improvements.
Through extensive consultation with residents and stakeholders at The Housing Sub Group, The Physical and Environment Task Group, neighbourhood planning events, the neighbourhoods Residents Association (Gerald Road East Action Team) and many home visits, a schedule of external improvement work was developed that included crime reducing initiatives, including the erection of bespoke alleygates.
The work was co-ordinated by officers from Salford City Councils Housing Market Renewal Team, working for New Deal and involved several of the City Councils partners including, Urban Vision, Cruden Construction Ltd and Groundwork, officers also worked closely with The Police Liaison Architect.
A charter was developed for the scheme and was signed by key residents as well as representatives from each organisation. The charter acknowledged the extensive contribution of residents to get the scheme to this point and the themes and commitments of the charter reflected this.
Quality
Projects delivered sensitively by committed professionals, using materials that complement the period and construction of the original homes.
Sustainability
Block improvements that promote confidence, attract investment and builds on the existing community spirit.
Community Involvement
Increase client and community satisfaction by recognising residents and stakeholders as equal partners in the design and build of the improvements.
Commercial
Complete each project within the available budget and to programme.
Optimise added value for the benefit of all partners.
Work to the properties commenced in January 2005, this included removal of paint, cleaning and re-pointing of brickwork. The renewal of garden surfaces to front and rear, renewal of boundary and party walls to the fronts of all properties and the renewal of the rear yard walls to the terraced properties.
Every detail of this work was discussed and agreed with residents, choices of wall, railing and garden surface were offered and a majority style was used throughout. These materials were sympathetic to the period and design of the houses and included the use of the local “buff brick” which is used in the dental courses, a buff flag was also used for the garden surfaces.
At an early stage of the process officers from NDC and Groundwork took a trip to a couple of quite affluent local residential areas and sketches were made of railings that people were choosing to have manufactured and fitted, we could now identify what homeowners were actually aspiring to own.These sketches became plan drawings and the choice of garden gates, railings and alleygates came from these designs.
These blocks of properties were quite unique in the fact that the alleyways were accessed adjacent to a front garden with a low wall on one side and a rear garden with a high wall on the other. This made the design of the alleygates quite challenging, as they would need to be secure and yet sympathetic to the low walls, without being overbearing. The design that was agreed included brick pillars with in fill railings and fluted railings meeting the gate posts. The materials, brickwork, ironwork etc. all matched and the end product is quite dramatic.
The design and build has been acknowledged by the Police, who say they are proud to be associated with the scheme and have recognised it as an example of best practice.
Funding was also secured to renew the Alleyway surfaces, which were virtually impossible for elderly residents to walk down, a number of re-surfacing options were explored as the existing cobbles were unsuitable to be reused as they were a local stone that split once removed. A compromise was achieved by tarmacing the main space and laying six rows of re-claimed cobbles at the Alleygates so that the heritage was represented in the scheme.
The residents from these streets made a successful bid for a “change your space” grant which has helped to transform these previously unused rear alleyways into safe, friendly, green, community spaces that they have described as “our little bit of heaven”
The residents of Beeley Street, Rowsley Street, Cromwell Road and Gerald Road now have an award winning alleyway after winning outstanding small neighbourhood at the North West In Bloom awards.
Good luck to Beeley Street Garden Group who have entered the In Bloom competition once again this year.
This page was last updated on 19 November 2008
