Groundwork
in the Northwest

The neighbourhoods in East Manchester have been in steady decline as a result of the collapse of the traditional industrial base. The area suffers from long-term unemployment and a disinclination among residents to move into higher education or training. The housing stock has little demand and apathy has led to fear of crime.

The Community Environment Programme (CEP) is an award-winning programme of regeneration delivered by Groundwork in partnership with a wide range of local organisations and regeneration agencies. It was designed to address poor environmental quality and also build the social capital of the local community.

The programme began in East Manchester in 1997 following a detailed consultation process with residents, which highlighted the lack of public open space, a high fear of crime, problems of community safety and a lack of recreational facilities in the area. The consultation process also revealed the need to strengthen the links between groups of residents and to tackle issues such as low skill levels and a lack of training opportunities.

The CEP funded community link officers to work within a specific target area, whether this is a cluster of streets or an individual ward or district. The community link officer works to identify the needs of residents and works closely with individuals and groups to deliver a wide range of environmental projects. Projects include recycling initiatives, landscaping work, the creation of parks and play areas and alley-gating schemes.

Work continues after the physical landscape of the community has improved by developing the skills and capacity of people to continue the process of change.

Work is in partnership with other agencies and service providers. We realise that effective regeneration demands a partnership approach that combines the skills and experience of a range of experts including residents, housing associations, the police and local authorities.

Physical impacts include landscape improvements, cleaner, greener streets, new community gardens, vibrant parks and play areas. Social impacts include increased community stability and cohesion, a sense of renewed confidence in the area and a high level of volunteering and participation. Economic impacts include the creation of a more desirable area for business investment, an improved image, support for social enterprise and direct support of local companies through Groundwork’s Business Environment Association.

To date over 2,000 houses in East Manchester have benefited from Groundwork’s alleygating scheme. By installing gates at the end of alleyways running behind streets of houses, the projects have helped reduce nuisance behaviour, deter drug users and vandals and 90% of residents feel safer and more secure
since the gates were installed.

In 2002, Groundwork’s Community Environment Programme was awarded a British Urban Regeneration Association Award, a national award that recognises best practice in regeneration.

The changes experienced though the programme were described to one judge, by a local resident, as “like winning the pools’. According to the BURA panel, the main lesson from the programme is that enabling fractured and damaged communities to be self-sufficient requires revenue streams that fund community workers to work with local people over a number of years.

An independent evaluation of the Community Environment Programme’s impact in High Leigh, Openshaw, an area suffering from high crime rates, found that the partnership approach had been effective in helping reduce crime, prevent vandalism and helping to generate a renewed sense of community spirit.

New Deal for Communities, Countryside Agency, Manchester Housing, ERDF, residents’ groups