Castle Vale Housing Action Trust (CVHAT) was a Government body which was established in 1993 to improve housing and general living conditions in Castle Vale, 6 miles north-east of Birmingham. The HAT was a short-life body and was dissolved on 31 March 2005, at which point its assets and
undertakings passed to English Partnerships, the residuary body for HATs. English
Partnerships will ensure that the outstanding work is completed in
accordance with agreed programmes.
The CVHAT website will remain online until March 2010 for reference purposes
only, during which time it will not be amended or updated. Please direct any
enquiries to English Partnerships
Castle Vale 1993
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Castle Vale Aerial View 2004
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The HAT's task was no less than the complete and lasting regeneration of Castle Vale and the reversal of nearly 30 years of physical, social and economic decline.
The approach by the HAT was to stimulate employment, involve and empower local people and community groups, address health and social needs, improve the environment as well as provide new homes and a major retail shopping centre. The HAT's preferred approach was one that was 'holistic', focusing not only on improving the physical fabric but addressing all the issues that affected people's quality of life.
PROFILE
Castle Vale
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Castle Vale is Birmingham's largest 60's built housing estate
- Population: approximately 9,000
- Size: 2.5 square kilometres (1.5 square miles)
- Number of homes in Castle Vale: 3,786
- Castle Vale has:
- 5 Schools,
- 4 Nursery Providers,
- 2 Churches,
- Healthy Living Centre (The Sanctuary),
- Community Radio Station,
- Leisure Centre,
- Swimming Bath,
- Stables,
- Library,
- Residents Club,
- Police Station,
- A new retail park (rebuilt by Sainsbury's) and a secondary shopping centre being redeveloped,
- a new Football Stadium
- a new 44 unit Enterprise Park
- a new 68 room Nursing Home
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Setting up Castle Vale HAT
The HAT was established in 1993 after a tenant/leaseholders' ballot saw 92% in favour
of a transfer. The estate formally transferred from Birmingham City Council to the HAT in 1994.
What is a HAT?
The HAT is a NDPB - a Non Departmental Public Body - directly funded by Government through the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). The planning figure for the regeneration of Castle Vale was £300 million - this included public (with £205 million Grant in Aid) as well as private finance.
Why the HAT was set up
Following 30 years of physical, social and economic decline, the HAT was put in place to regenerate Castle Vale.
This meant:
- Improving and redeveloping housing.
- Improving the "quality of life" on the estate, i.e, the economic, social, living, health and environmental conditions.
- Providing a wider choice of tenure and forms of home ownership.
- Providing an effective service as Landlord.
- Working with the community to ensure that the positive changes
were maintained well into the future.
How long will it take to carry
out the necessary work?
The HAT had a twelve year
regeneration programme. That finished its work in March 2005.
Successor Organisations
A number of 'successor' organisations have been set up by the HAT to carry on with some of the key areas of the HAT's work and service the needs of the community well beyond the HAT's life. Successor organisations include:
Click here for more details on successor organisations.
HAT performance update - 1993 to 31st March 2005
- Homes Demolished: 2,275 (including 32 out of 34 tower blocks)
- Homes completed: 1,464 (98.5%).
- Homes refurbished: 1,333 (100%)
- Jobs created: 1,461 (98.5%)
- Training places created: 3,415 (100%)
- Government Funding so far: £197.5 Million
- Private Funding / Other Leverage: £102.7 Million
Awards
- In October 2002 the HAT won the Midlands Excellence Award, Public Sector Category.
- In April 2000 and June 2002 the HAT was prize-winner in the Modernising Government Partnership Award.
- In May 2002, the Birmingham Civic Society awarded the HAT the Forward Prize, for making a major contribution to the life of the city.
- In September 2001, the Fresh Start Tenant Decorator Scheme, set up in partnership with the CVCHA and Mercian, won the NHF (West Midlands) Regeneration Awards 2001, Economic Development Category.
- In October 2000, the HAT was awarded the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and Region's Award for Partnership in Regeneration.
- The HAT won the prestigious Charter Mark Award for excellence in public service for the second time in December 2000 and the Investors in People (IIP) Award in March 2000 and November 2002.
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Start of demolition on Farnborough Road tower blocks
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