'People are pleased to move back' to Hartlepool neighbourhoods after home revamps

Customers in the Clarence and West View areas of town have seen major changes in their estates over recent years after housing association Home Group identified them as under-performing areas.

Home Group has repurposed empty three-bed properties and worked with partners to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Jennifer Thornton, who has been living in the area for more than 25 years, said: “It has changed over the years."

She added: "There was once a waiting list but then things got worse. We had periods of people wanting to move out.”

Those periods led to many empty properties which encouraged anti-social behaviour and reduced the overall quality and appearance of the area.

The operations manager at Home Group, John Brunetti, said: “This investment has delivered a choice of housing to the residents of Hartlepool with a real focus on affordability, safety and security and sustainability.”

He added: “Working together has meant we could deliver safer communities and better quality housing for Hartlepool.”

Work on many of the properties included fitting new doors, windows and roofing as well as installing new kitchens and other key amenities to help modernise customers’ homes.

Before the work, there was little demand in the area for three-bed houses, while the demand for one and two-bed homes remained high.

Home Group decided to strip these empty properties and convert them into new one and two-bed properties.

In total, it turned 25 empty and difficult to lease properties into 42 one-bedroom flats and seven two-bedroom flats.

Six of the homes have level access bathing to make them suitable for people with physical disabilities.

One property was also converted into a new community hub, which has allowed Home Group and partners, including the police, social services and support agencies, to meet and hold sessions for customers.

Jennifer said: “The work putting in new windows, doors and roofs has made a big difference. People are pleased to move back. They’re taking pride in the area again.”

Home Group said the regeneration project had led to a 35% reduction in reports of anti-social behaviour and has improved relationships with community police, social service and Hartlepool Borough Council housing team.