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SRB Regeneration Partnership Report 1995-2000 Was the Barton and Tredworth Is Barton and Tredworth better now than it was five years ago? The chances are there will be a range of opinions on this point but I would argue that there is a great deal of evidence to show things have significantly improved and the SRB Scheme was an important contributory factor. Looking at progress against some of the communities original priorities:
Unemployment rates in the area have halved during the past five years, greatly helped by hundreds of new jobs created or safeguarded by the SRB Scheme. Prominent examples include the refurbishment of derelict industrial sites like City Works and St James Trading Estate which provided the opportunity to create more than 70 jobs. BTD Ltd and its associate companies provided employment for over 20 more. There are also 20 trainees on the books under a building training scheme, something the company will be seeking to expand in association with various partners.
Crime and fear of crime is always an important concern for residents throughout the city, not just in Barton and Tredworth. Good progress has been made in the SRB area. Burglaries have fallen dramatically and car crime is down as well and the SRB Scheme contributed to this in a variety of ways. Homes and other buildings have been renovated to 'Secure by Design' standards. Many shops boast new security grills, funded in part by SRB money. Several buildings have security cameras trained onto the street and public open spaces. The SRB partnership is also lending its skills to the recently formed Gloucester Crime and Disorder Partnership. This resulted in successful bids for £50,000 SRB Round 5 money to tackle racism and domestic violence and £226,000 from the Home Office to extend the city centre CCTV system. Later in the year a new camera will be fixed at the junction of India Road and Barton Street, linked to the city centre CCTV system and providing coverage right along the street. Crime reduction work is set to continue beyond the life of the SRB Scheme.
The SRB Partnership relied heavily on the City Council and Gloucestershire Housing Association (GHA) to deliver better housing. GHA built 78 new units of accommodation on the old foundry site at Alfred Street and transformed the derelict County Arms site in Millbrook Streets, building a further 11 new homes. GHA was also the principal partner in homes over shops schemes, creating over 30 new flats in Barton Street alone. The Council too played an important part with its Group Repair Schemes and Improvement for Sale Schemes (IFS) such as the one which transformed the derelict bakery in Barton Street into two smart cottages. The Council was also behind the development of St Catherine's Court, an attractive sheltered accommodation scheme which aims to benefit Afro-Caribbean residents. This transformed an untidy, overgrown site at Tredworth Road. Group Repair Schemes and IFS will continue into the future as part of the Council's Renewal Area programme.
The SRB Scheme promised to create a 20 mph zone in Barton and Tredworth and in partnership with the 'Safer City' scheme this will be achieved. The road works are already well advanced and will be completed in the current year. The scheme includes better street lighting in strategic locations as well as wider and more attractive pavements for Barton Street. Over 200 extra parking places have been created around the area, notably the extension to Sinope Street car park and at Alfred Street in association with the GHA development and the City Works site. Some additional parking bays are planned on Barton Street as part of the 'Safer City' scheme, including spaces for the disabled.
Many young people are beneficiaries of projects like the Napier Street play area, the resurfaced all weather pitch at Widden School and the City Farm in Tredworth, all which received substantial assistance from the SRB scheme. Hundreds also make use of the arts materials from the scrap store at City Works and many children have benefited from the SRB funded childcare projects like 'Cool Runnings', which is also based there. Looking to the future, the Barton, Tredworth and Eastgate Community Trust is planning to play a lead role in the Government's new 'Sure Start' scheme, which aims to give 0-3year olds a much better start in life. Linking with the activities on the new Education Action Zone, this will give local children much higher levels of support during their developmental years.
The SRB Partnership has gone a long towards fulfiling its promise to tackle the problem of unsightly derelict buildings. Example include the old shirt factory at Alfred Street which is now 'City Works', the derelict site industrial site which is now St James Trading Estate, The County Arms site which now has 11 new homes on it and the Prince's Plume building which houses four new flats and a large shop. The Partnership was particularly pleased to be able to support the transformation of All Saints Church, where the conversion to an Anglo-Asian Cultural Centre is nearing completion.
In an article like this it is only possible to provide a brief outline of the events of the past five years. Nevertheless it is clear that much has been achieved. The next priority is to ensure the improvements are sustainable and able to form a solid foundation for a prosperous future. This will be a primary aim of the Community Trust, supported by BTD Ltd.
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The new Leisure Centre received a £200,000
contribution from the SRB Scheme. Not only will this create a landmark leisure facility in
the area but it will also provide opportunities for jobs during the construction phase and
in the leisure industry when it opens. Two open days have already been held to highlight
the future employment opportunities for local people.
Retail areas are under intense
competitive commercial pressure all over the country and against this background, Barton
Street and High Street have done well. It is easy to forget that back in the early 1990s
over 40 shops were found to be vacant and several were in danger of collapsing into the
street. One actually fell down and the site is now the open space in front of the Sinope
Street car park. Barton Street boasts one of the best small Post Offices in the city and
work will shortly start on the one in High Street. The Al Murad Tile and Wallpaper shop
recently transformed the derelict Prince's Plume public house and the Icon.net internet
café is the only one of its kind in the county.
BTD's Barton Enterprise Centre will continue to
provide a range of support services for the foreseeable future, making Barton and
Tredworth one of the best places in the county to start a small business.
A less visible SRB project was to fund the ethnic
minority detached youth work service in Barton and Tredworth for the past five years.
During this time the service has worked with hundreds of young people and arranged many
projects for them, including an exchange visit to Jamaica.
Local people have been consulted
throughout the whole period of the SRB Scheme and many have been actively involved through
their own projects, SRB Steering Groups, on a Citizens Panel and more recently as members
of the Barton, Tredworth and Eastgate Community Trust (BTECT). The Trust will continue
indefinitely.Home | SRB1 Report | SRB5 & 6 Report | Enterprise Centre | Venue Hire
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