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Riverside was an eyesore occupying an important gateway to Pontypool.
Torfaen County Borough Council had been trying to revitalise the town centre following years of decline due to the closure of traditional industries and competition from nearby shopping centres.
The question was how to attract economically active people where there was no track record of any housebuilder successfully selling properties on the required scale in this part of Wales.
The Council invited bids from Housing Associations as it was felt high levels of Social Housing Grant would be required to underpin the involvement of the housebuilders. The brief anticipated that 40% of the new homes would be for rent.
We instantly recognised a dilemma where this approach would increase demand problems for the Council in nearby communities.
We took the bold step of only including 6 houses for rent in our bid, the remaining Grant providing the Homebuy units. This gave our housebuilder partner the confidence to go ahead with the required 60% for outright sale.
Tenures are fully integrated across the scheme with all residents given the same level of choices.
Riverside is proof that a vision of regeneration, with it's wider benefits, can become a reality.
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