The £10m plan to transform a Welsh city’s ‘red light district’
Will a planned £10m investment help transform one of Wales’ most troubled communities? A report from Pillgwenlly
Newport’s Pillgwenlly has been in the news a lot recently. The portrayal hasn’t always been pretty. Reports on drug raids, large-scale disturbances and widespread prostitution.
It’s widely recognised that Pillgwenlly, a deprived docklands area in Newport known as Pill, is a community with multiple and complex needs. However, that can detract from the good work going on to tackle both symptom and cause.
Pillgwenlly was once a highlydesirable area and a massive transformation programme in the 1960s saw the traditional terraced streets redeveloped with innovative design. Pillgwenlly was a desirable place to live, offering opportunities and employment.
However, the decline in industry led to derelict buildings, high unemployment levels and a wide range of social problems. The once awardwinning estate layout actually started to hinder the quality of life of the community. Over time, things have deteriorated further.
Pillgwenlly offers a huge challenge to public bodies and, to tackle the multitude of issues contained within, requires a long-term strategy. No single body will achieve this.
However, a housing association in the city is hoping that its £10m investment in the area will be “the catalyst for regeneration on a scale not seen for more than 50 years”.
Newport City Homes is going to change the layout of the area, targeting hotspots of anti-social behaviour in an effort to design out such activities. The plans have the support of strategic partners such as Newport City Council and Gwent Police, while Design Commission Wales praised them as an example of best practice.
The aim isn’t to just change the infrastructure, but the entire reputation of the area. This will not be easy; however, Pillgwenlly is full of proud and passionate people like Gill Healey. She is one of a group of volunteers who helped the housing association shape its regeneration plans.
“We are very pleased with what is being done,” said Ms Healey, a resident of 36 years. “The results will benefit 99% of the people around here. Anti-social behaviour will be knocked on the head, as there won’t be any alleyways for troublemakers to hide in.”
Pillgwenlly is unique. It doesn’t fit into the same demographic or community make-up that is typical in Newport. About 40% of its population belong to BME groups, with the most prominent ethnicities being Pakistani and Bangladeshi. The Newport average is 10%. More than 40 languages are spoken in a population of less than 8,000 people.
These are the things that make Pillgwenlly so diverse. They are part of the reason residents like Ms Healey love the area, despite the social issues they see every day.
“It is residents such as Gill that are inspiring us to make a difference,” said Newport City Homes chief executive Ceri Doyle.
“Pillgwenlly has high deprivation levels, but there is still a strong sense of pride in the community. People want to live there and people who do often don’t want to move.
“More than half of the people in our homes in Pillgwenlly were living in them when stock transfer occurred in 2009. On top of this, we have a waiting list of more than 1,000 people who want a property in Pillgwenlly.”
However, all partners recognise that Pillgwenlly is also critically deprived and that substantial investment is needed.
Newport City Homes’ major regeneration project in the heart of the community hopes to kick-start investment from other partners.
A basketball court renowned for anti-social behaviour will be demolished and the layout of some streets will be improved to allow greater flow of people through the area, while the underpasses that attract congregations of people and anti-social behaviour will be demolished.
Eleven homes and a new community hub will also be created, as well as two new areas of open space and parking. The outside of some homes will be improved to smarten their appearance.
“Despite all this work and this considerable investment, there will be no net housing gain for us,” explained Mrs Doyle. “This is about making people’s lives better. Not just our tenants, but the wider community.
“Two of our strategic priorities are: putting the resident at the heart of what we do; and making a difference to our communities. Our Pillgwenlly regeneration scheme hits both of these and demonstrates long-term strategic decision-making that is not driven by a need for profit. It is community-led regeneration and I couldn’t be more proud of our ambitions for this area of the city.
“We are by far the most prevalent housing association in Pillgwenlly and in Newport. We own more than 70% of the entire city’s social housing stock and because of this we’re taking our community leadership role seriously. We have a responsibility to be a driver for change.”
It’s not just about homes though. It’s about opportunities for local people. Newport City Homes has built this into its regeneration approach, with 300 weeks’ worth of apprenticeships included in the regeneration contract. Local people will fill these, giving them the skills to make a difference to their own lives.
The new community hub will be given to the community, where it will run as a social enterprise for residents, by residents. They will determine what the community needs and will plough the profits back into the community.
Newport City Homes is confident this project will “help tackle antisocial behaviour and make a real difference to those living in the area, because it has been developed with local people for local people. From the beginning of the project through to delivery, residents have been integral.”
Work on the project is due to start this month. Only time will tell if this will be the catalyst for change that the community of Pillgwenlly hope for.
Rhodri Guest works for social housing provider Newport City Homes.