Avenue Road Estate Day

We would like to invite you to the next Estate Day. The details are:

• When:      Wednesday 21 August 2019
• Time:        3pm to 7pm
• Where:     Outside Mulberry Court Block

This event will be filled with fun activities for people of all ages. A team of officers from the Housing Department and their Partners will set up stalls, run workshops and answers questions. We hope to see you there.

Volunteers for Fun Day

We look forward to working with you to help improve your local neighbourhood in South Leytonstone.
If you would like to volunteer on the day please contact Julie Haughton on 0208 496 4976 or email (Julie.Haughton@walthamforest.gov.uk)


 

Key Contacts

Dianne Obichere T: 07741 147 538 E: dianne.obichere@walthamforest.gov.uk

Naomi Lewis - Housing Officer E: Naomi.lewis@walthaforest.gov.uk

Julie Haughton - Engagement Officer E: Julie.haughton@walthamforest.gov.uk

Keith Brown - Stakeholder Relations and Community Engagement Manager E: Keith.brown@walthamforest.gov.uk

Welcome to the first edition of Avenue Road Estate Residents Newsletter. The Council is looking at various ways to improve your estate. This includes the possible option to regenerate the estate. We are committed to working with residents as we develop ideas about this exciting opportunity. This Newsletter will let you know how you can help us to develop future proposals for the estate.

We will also be keeping our web page (www.walthamforest.gov.uk/AvenueRoadEstate) up to date with the latest news and you can also sign up for our email newsletter there.

Meeting Housing Needs

We have started a Housing Needs Survey so we know about your current housing needs and what you think of your home and the estate. The findings from this survey will help to inform the Council about where to make future improvements or possible ways to redevelop and regenerate the estate.

Please come to the Drop-In-Sessions at the Nexus Centre every Tuesday and Wednesday between 10am – 1pm and 2 pm to 4pm where officers will be available to help you complete the survey form.

You can also contact Dianne Obichere on 07741 147538 (dianne.obichere@walthamforest.gov.uk)

to book an appointment to help you complete this form.

What’s Ahead in the Coming Months

Council’s Cabinet this July In July

Cabinet will be asked for approval to start working on plans to develop possible options to improve your estate. We will also ask Cabinet for approval on the following:

Appoint Technical Team of Advisors (architects, building surveyors, cost advisors) - Our team of Technical Advisors will carry out an extensive fact finding study (feasibility study) to develop possible options to improve the estate. The study will examine the cost and benefits of each option to reach a preferred solution for the estate. Discussions with residents will take place about the proposals.

Priority Decant Status - This is to assist with moving a small number of residents out of their flats to carry out structural surveys. Residents will be entitled to a Statutory Home Loss and Disturbance payments as part of this move.

Appoint an Independent Tenants and Leaseholder Advisor – The Independent Advisor will assist the Council to actively engage with residents. They will support residents to understand the redevelopment and regeneration process so that they can contribute more effectively to the future plans for the estate.

The Redevelopment and Regeneration Option – if following the Options Appraisal Review this is the preferred option there will be a resident vote before it can be progressed.

Leaseholders and freeholders on the estate – We will ask Cabinet to give approval to start early discussions with leaseholders and freeholders on the estate. This will give us the opportunity to discuss the options available to them.

Start Early Discussions with Developers – We would like to engage with Developers as early as possible. This will give us the opportunity to apply their expertise to develop future proposals for the estate.

Engaging Residents

We have had initial discussions with the Residents Association about the possible exciting opportunities a regeneration programme brings. The benefits extend beyond the physical improvements for the estate. They include training, work experience and jobs for young people living on the estate. Other benefits are the opportunity to team up with the local training academy (National Construction College Waltham Forest) to provide the skills this programmes requires.

Working together with our Partners to help improve the Local Area

The Council’s vision for the borough is to create Decent, Safe and Healthy Neighbourhoods. To achieve this vision for the estate and the local area, the Council is developing a South Leytonstone Area Investment Plan.

The Council has also received funding from a government body called the One Public Estate to work on a wider vision for the local area. This vision will be developed in consultation with local residents and businesses into a master plan for the area.

Remember

You’ll need to contact the company that supplies your gas and ask them to disconnect the service and remove the gas meter. If you do not do this you may still be liable for standing charges even after the gas supply has been removed.

Once your gas supply is disconnected and your gas meter removed you will not be able to use your gas cooker anymore.

An important reminder. You are prohibited from using any other forms of energy apart from electric once the gas supply is disconnected.

Structural Survey 

The Council is carrying out a structural survey of the blocks on the estate to understand the structural integrity of these blocks. We will need to carry out a detailed survey of a few flats in the blocks. The nature of these works will require a small number of residents to move out of their flats. The Council will contact you to discuss your re-housing options if your flat is selected for this survey.

By August, the fenced-in area on the estate will be cleared and made ready to receive site facilities for the structural survey works. We will give you adequate notice of when this work will start. When these surveys are completed we will inform you about the results.

Throwing things from flats

We would like to remind all residents not to throw things from their flats. This anti-social behaviour is a serious breach of tenancy. There is also the possible danger of hurting someone from this unacceptable behaviour.

This breach of Tenancy is highlighted in your Tenancy Agreement under Section 1.60 - Throwing things from flats. This states that - ‘’if your home is in a block, you must not throw any items or allow anyone else to throw any items from your home or other areas that you share with your neighbours’’

Remember – This breach of tenancy applies to everyone at home with you including visitors. Please dispose of all household rubbish and recyclable waste in a safe and appropriate manner. Household rubbish must be placed in a dustbin, refuse chute and any other designated area we have provided. No item(s) of rubbish should be thrown out of the windows of your home.