Woodville Rise Residents Committee

Woodville Rise - Creating a 20/20 Vision for the Estate

Date: Tuesday 19 January 2010

Venue: Moorings House Hotel, Hamilton Rd,Motherwell

Time: 7pm

Its near to twenty years since the 300 flats that make up Woodville Rise were refurbished as part of the Forgewood Initiative a plan that would eventually see the Estate regenerated and reinvented as a mixed-tenure estate.

The physical aspects of the buildings remain in a good state of repair throughout the Estate. Even so, the buildings are showing inevitable signs of wear and tear and each of the 50 odd blocks of flat that make up the area are in need of some attention to one degree or other.

Cyclical Maintenance, management of the communal grounds, replacement of the Paladin Bins, fencing, are the type of issues that will need to be dealt with in the years to come. Recognising the need for change, the Residents Committee approached the Forgewood Community Council for support to organise an event that would bring owners/residents together to discuss these and other related Estate Management issues. Happily, the Community Council was only too willing to help us out here.

A meeting of owners/residents of Woodville Rise has been arranged for Tuesday 19 January 2010, in the Moorings House Hotel, Hamilton Rd, Motherwell, meeting commences 7pm. Refreshments and light buffet will be provided but regrettably funding does not allow us to provide a creche or cover transport costs.

To help with the planning The Residents Committee would ask you to drop us a wee note of your intention to attend:

Background – A potted history of Forgewood and the creation of Woodville Rise

Forgewood was built in the 1950's to support workers for the many steel plants operating around the area, Motherwell after all is known as Steel Town.

Forgewood won awards for its layout and modern architecture. However, the fate of the estate was sealed during the economic turmoil of the 1970's and 1980's that witnessed the death of heavy industry in Scotland. Forgewood fell into serious decline on all fronts, social, economic and environmental, during these decades; something had to be done to breathe new life into the area.

The Forgewood Initiative was developed with the aim of regenerating the area. The Forgewood Initiative brought over £30 million worth of new investment to the area. A key component of the plan was to see 300 flats sold off to Wimpey for a nominal fee, and in return the property developer would completely refurbish the flats and offer them up for sale at an attractive price; many first time buyers took up the opportunity and moved into the area, Woodville Rise was up and running.

In addition, to Woodville rise, three social registered landlords were attracted to the area to offer new build and refurbished flats for rent. So it was that Forgewood was reinvented as a mixed-tenure estate.

Woodville Rise

The refurbishment of the 300 flats that make up Woodville Rise was done in two distinct stages Phase 1 and the second Phase II and III, the significance of this decision would have a telling effect in the years to come.

All went well until the recession hit in the mid-nineties. Higher interest rates, rising unemployment and the move from permanent work, to low paid flexible employment meant that many of the new owners who bought into the area fell into arrears on their mortgage and ultimately were forced to sell up and move out of the area, in effect the first sub-prime collapse.

Changes in taxation in the late nineties resulted in investors looking to property to support their pensions. Many of the flats that had been abandoned and/or reposed where bought up by Private Landlords. The Private Rented Sector plays an increasingly crucial role in the area.

Woodville Rise Phase 1

As much to do with bad timing as the inherent structural problems, Woodville Rise Phase 1 fell victim to the changes in the economy far sooner and with greater effect than elsewhere. The Title Deeds in place at the time did not help matters any; for example, these were written up so as to allow owners to opt out of Factoring which owners did for various reasons the result being to leave this part of the estate without a Factor in place for some time. Although it should be pointed out that following hard work by a group of community reps from this area, a Factor has only recently been appointed to manage a small number of properties in this area.

Woodville Rise Phase II and III

For a number of disparate reasons, the downturn in the economy did not impact on Phase II and neither III Woodville Rise as quickly and/or to the same degree nor effect as happened to its near neighbour.

Owners/residents of Phase II and III also had a well established Residents Committee to look for help and to represent and promote their interests.

The Residents Committee working in partnership with the Council and Elected Representatives were able to quickly identify problems and work with all concerned to ameliorate the worst effects of the issues adversely affecting the area.

Bar from a short period in the mid-noughties, Phase II and III was also able to retain the services of one Factor. The importance of a professional Factor for either area cannot be overstated. Link Homes Ltd was appointed Factor for the area on 1 February 2007; Link work closely with the Residents Committee to deal with a whole range of issues at play on the estate. Unusually for a Factor, Link has a key role in linking the area to the Council and in this regard has been successful in helping the area access Grants Assistance that it might otherwise never have received.

The Council and Elected Councillors for Motherwell West

A word for the willingness of NLC to engage with the community in recent years to identify problems, consider and look to put in place workable solutions to these. Likewise the three elected members for the area have consistently shown a willingness to promote the interests of the area at Council and this has been crucial in bringing decision-makers to the table.

The Future

This brings us up to date where the potted history of Woodville Rise is concerned. Work continues apace behind the scenes on all fronts to deal with those hangovers from the problems arising in the mid-noughties. Thankfully, the efforts of all concerned are begin to pay dividends for the community. There are tentative signs that the housing market has stabilised. New owners/residents are increasingly looking to the area and recognising the excellent value for money the properties represent, be they Private Sector Landlords or first time buyers.