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Partnership projects improve the Parkfield estate

ByDave Stopher

Aug 28, 2019

Thirteen is working with Stockton Borough Council to improve safety and help bring improvements to the Parkfield estate in the town.

The region’s biggest housing association is working on a programme that will see around £100,000 spent on a range of projects to help tackle issues around anti-social behaviour (ASB) and provide environmental improvements for Thirteen’s customers and other residents on the estate.

Thirteen’s neighbourhood team has been working with tenants and customers on the Parkfield estate to identify problems and develop solutions to tackle ASB, implement improvements and make the area a better place to live.

Alongside the council, police and other partners, Thirteen has developed plans and identified funding to tackle a wide range of issues.

The installation of a new CCTV system is a major milestone in the project, and engineers began to install cameras on 21 August.

Other work includes renewing street lighting to improve safety and security at night, and remodelling open spaces with changes to walls, fences and raised areas to create more uncluttered areas with better lines of sight.

Land is being adopting from the council which Thirteen will maintain, replacing shrubs with grassed areas, cutting back lower branches from trees and operating regular litter picks.

Thirteen is also carrying out refurbishment work to improve communal areas in some of its flats on Parliament Street and Bickersteth Close. This includes redecorating and installing new lighting.

Karl Gippert, Thirteen’s neighbourhoods service manager for the area, said: “We’re always talking to our customers about their homes and neighbourhoods, and residents on the Parkfield estate told us about a range of issues they’d like us to improve.

“Things like anti-social behaviour can always be tackled more effectively by working with the community and partnership organisations, so we’re working with Stockton Council, Cleveland Police and other partners on a programme of work to tackle issues that residents have raised.

“It’s great that this investment is happening, and we’ll hopefully see some big improvements over the coming months. But as well as the physical work we’ll also be continuing to speak to partners and people in the local community to make sure we can share resources to help the area develop even further.

Councillor Bob Cook, Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: “We’re very pleased to be working alongside Thirteen and our other key partners to help deliver these improvements on the Parkfield estate.

“We’ve already committed to upgrading the existing CCTV system in the area and these new locations will further enhance the camera network. This work contributes to our overall community safety agenda and builds on our commitment to ensure the Borough is a safe and welcoming place for all.

“We’re always listening to the people we serve and they’ve highlighted to us a number of issues that need action, so this is really positive news for residents of the estate and I’m looking forward to the programme of work making a real difference when it is completed by the end of the summer.”

Work on improving the grounds on the Parkfield estate began with clearing shrubbery and replacing it with grassed areas at the end of last year, and further plans are in place to completely remove unsightly planting in the area.

The replacement lighting and installation of the CCTV system is expected to be completed in October.