| Northern Housing, a Dundee and Perth-based charity, started the ambitious project to regenerate an area of Stobswell spanning three tenements and 65 flats. The aim was to convert the properties, at Park Avenue and Morgan Street, into a well-maintained and pleasant environment.
The charity started buying up properties in 2002, and once an adequate number had been acquired, and with the cooperation of the remaining owner-occupiers, a major renovation was started.
All the flats have now been re-let — a fact garnering widespread praise from across the community.
Speaking at the celebration, local Councillor Elizabeth Fordyce described the changes as massive and held them up as an example the rest of the country could follow.
“Can I just say, there is a big, big difference here,” she said. “It is lovely and a really welcome move.
“In 1999, I was here with Shona Robison (Dundee East MSP) and Councillor Joe FitzPatrick and you cannot imagine the mud and dirt, pipes and wire hanging everywhere.
“I think it could be held up to all tenemental properties in the country. It is something people should look at and say could happen in our place.”
Northern Housing Chief Executive John Shepherd said the properties were in an alarmingly poor state when they came into his possession.
“When we first received the keys for some of these flats nothing could have prepared me for the dirt and stench that greeted us in the flats and closes, many of which were still occupied,” he said.
“It is a tremendous pleasure to witness the recent transformation and to know that Northern Housing has played a major part in reversing decline of this important area of Dundee.”
Development manager Stuart Shepherd paid tribute to the construction team and said they completed a lot of the work ahead of schedule, allowing the housing group to place the flats back onto the market.
“It has been important to work closely with the local community through agencies such as the Stobswell Forum. Northern Housing intends to keep investing where we can be most effective in this and other key regeneration areas in Dundee.
“However, we can’t do this on our own and look to the local authority to accelerate the processing of grants for close and stair security access provision, without which it’s an uphill struggle to get these sort of schemes off the ground.”
Stobswell Forum representative Ina Brown said, “It is marvellous to see the steps taken and it proves that regenerating the area is serious and we are getting there. I hope the work continues.” |
