Winner of Winners: Union Village development in Middlesbrough wins prestigious national housing design award
An affordable housing development in the heart of Middlesbrough has won one of the UK’s most prestigious design awards.
Thirteen’s Union Village was crowned the ‘Winner of Winners’ at last night’s Housing Design Awards ceremony in London, while also scooping the ‘Healthy Homes’ award.
The development, in Gresham, consists of 145 two, three and four-bedroom homes and four communal gardens where neighbours can chat and children play out safely.
Designed by IDPartnership Northern, it was delivered by Thirteen in partnership with Middlesbrough Council, Tees Valley Combined Authority, Homes England, and Esh Construction.
"Regeneration is ultimately about people"
Presenting the award, Joanna Averley, the country’s chief planner, said: “Across the country we are looking for examples of housing that demonstrate what regeneration can achieve when design quality, social purpose and long-term stewardship come together. Union Village does exactly that.
“This project has created a neighbourhood once again. It shows that regeneration is ultimately about people. It is about creating places where children can play safely, where neighbours know one another, where residents feel proud of where they live, and where public investment builds confidence in a community's future.
“The judges felt that Union Village stood apart because it demonstrates the transformative power of good housing at a neighbourhood scale in an area where viability and decline of the fabric of the town made this seem impossible.”
Development more than 20 years in the making
The redevelopment of the Union Village site has been more than 20 years in the making.
Initial plans to regenerate the wider Gresham area were backed by government funding and the demolition of hundreds of terraced homes followed.
But when that funding was withdrawn in 2010, the plans stalled and large areas of land sat derelict for years while attempts to lever in investment failed.
Thirteen and Middlesbrough Council came together to bring Union Village forward, securing funding from Homes England and Tees Valley Combined Authority.
Regeneration "a marathon, not a sprint"
Sharon Thomas, Thirteen’s chief investment and property officer, said: “Union Village is an example of how regeneration, when it’s done properly and when it’s done well, is a marathon and not a sprint.
“And successful regeneration isn't just about bricks and mortar – it's about the people, the community and tackling some of the long-standing social and economic issues.
“One of the key parts of our strategy was to make sure we got families to come back to live in the area. Key to that was the families feeling like they could let the kids play out – that’s where the idea to incorporate communal gardens came from.
“The fact we've created a community with spaces where kids can play out, feel safe and thrive is just the best part of this. And it means that we're giving the kids who live here the childhoods that they deserve and that every child should have.”
What do residents think?
“Living here, it’s like all my Christmas coming at once,” said Ivor, who lives in one of the development’s apartments. “It's just a whole new world. I moved about 100 yards, but I moved into a different world and this one is absolutely fantastic. I've waited years to have a home like this one.”
Pauline and Marian live in neighbouring bungalows. “When I first thought of moving into a bungalow from a three bedroomed house, I was a bit wary but it's absolutely amazing,” said Marian. “These gardens have made a massive impact on our lives – we talk every day.”
“I've got health issues so moving here has had a big impact on my life,” added Pauline. “My mental health and everything has improved loads so it's been a godsend.”
Abdullah, who lives in semi-detached family home, said: “When my children come home from school they just say hello – they come in from the front door and go out the back door because they are happy here and they play with other children.
“Parents can watch their children from their house, from any room, from their garden. Everybody's coming out here, we chat with each other, I know all of my neighbours. This is a very beautiful place.”
The Housing Design Awards
The Housing Design Awards were established in 1948 by Nye Bevan during the same sitting of Parliament in which the NHS was launched, making them the longest-running housing awards in the country.