  Progress on Plots 2, 9 and 10
Planning application update:
Currently, Countryside Partnerships (formerly Drew Smith) are preparing the plans for a planning submission later this year. They have advised that they anticipate finishing the design work prior to this being reviewed by the council by the end of the year. There is new legislation that they will need to comply with which is called the Building Safety Act (formerly the Building Safety Bill).
The Building Safety Act applies to buildings that are over 7 storeys and despite the fact that Plot 9 will not be over that height the council intends to ensure that both Plot 2 and Plot 9 are taken through the three key Gateways required for the Building Safety Act.
What does this mean?
The Building Safety Act creates a clear, balanced framework for the design, construction, and management of safer, high-quality homes in the years to come.
Gateway one
Gateway one happens during the planning stage and has two main elements:
- To require the developer to submit a fire statement setting out fire safety considerations specific to the development with a relevant application for planning permission for development which involves one or more relevant buildings, and
- To establish the Health and Safety Executive as a statutory consultee for relevant planning applications
Gateway two
Gateway two happens before the building work starts and evidence must be provided to demonstrate how the plans comply with building regulations.
Between Gateways two and three, those involved in the design and construction process will be subject to ongoing requirements.
Gateway three
Gateway three happens at the end of the build and before the building is occupied. This involves a demonstration of how the building work complies with building regulations to provide assurance that buildings are safe to occupy. Completion certificates will then be issued if gateway three approved.
This is one of the proposed measures to ensure that the council’s new affordable housing meets the required regulations and our own quality aspirations.
Changes to Homes England funding:
Homes England recently announced major changes to 'turbo-boost' estate regeneration. Grant funding provided through the Government's Affordable Homes Programme 2021 - 2026 can now be used to fund replacement homes, alongside new homes, as part of wider estate regeneration plans.
On Monday 3 July, we met with Homes England at Townhill Park to discuss plots 2, 9 and 10 and we will continue working closely with them to review the opportunities to apply for funding for regeneration in Townhill park.
 Decommissioning update
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Plot 7, Kingsdown Way:
During our first consultation with residents of Plot 7 about whether decommissioning should continue or not, the majority of tenants in the Kingsdown Way blocks were in favour of continuing to be decommissioned rather than pause. As a result of tenant feedback, it was proposed that the sequence of the block decommissioning should be reconsidered. This change of order was not covered in the original survey and we needed to speak to tenants again. The second survey was carried out in May and the majority of tenants were again in favour of the proposed change.
The final decision is currently going through the council's approval process and, subject to approval, tenants of Plot 7 will receive a letter with further information.
The council’s Resident Liaison Officer will be supporting decommissioning tenants through the whole process while they find a new home.
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Plot 6, Meggeson Avenue shops and residential with former pub site:
Consideration is being given to decommission the residential properties above the shops and residents will receive an update once this is concluded. The Council is also keen to give the opportunity for the shop to stay open as long as possible for the convenience of residents.
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Plot 5, Benhams Road:
The decommissioning of the two blocks facing Benhams Road is complete and any valuable materials have been removed from the buildings and they have been secured.
If you see any anti-social behaviour please report it.
144-184 Meggeson Avenue and 1-21 Hallett Close blocks are currently being decommissioned and residents are being supported by the council's Resident Liaison Officer.
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You can find more information about decommissioning in Townhill Park and the latest decommissioning timetable on our website.
News about some of the decommissioned homes
You may have heard about our plans to use a decommissioned block on Meggeson Avenue to accommodate a small number of homeless families.
In recent months we have seen a dramatic rise in the number of people at risk of homelessness contacting us for help. As we have a statutory duty to support homeless households with children, bringing the homes back into use is the most appropriate and cost-effective way to provide these families with a safe place to stay.
The homes, which remain under our management, will only be let to families under our homelessness duty, and will be used for a short period of time before the regeneration work moves into the next phase. We don’t expect this temporary arrangement to impact local services, but if you do have any queries or concerns, please let us know.
Townhill Park is a great place to live, with a strong community spirit, and we hope you will join us in making your new neighbours welcome.
 Next phase of demolition
The Brownfield Land Release Fund is capital grant funding that will release land for new homes and will support regeneration in places that need it. Applications for Round Two of funding closed on 31 March 2023 where up to £60million was available to councils.
We are keen to take advantage of opportunities to continue progress on the regeneration of Townhill Park. A bid has been made to cover the cost of demolishing the two blocks adjacent to Benhams Road, part of Plot 5, and the three blocks off Rowlands Walk, Plot 9 (as shown in red above). These are the only sites in Townhill Park that meet the eligibility criteria for this round of funding.
Funding awards will be announced in autumn 2023 and, if successful, we will aim to have demolition contracts in place by late spring 2024.
 The Affordable Housing Framework takes another step forward
Following the launch of the Affordable Housing Framework and approval of the first set of council-owned sites to be transferred to Affordable Housing Providers in 2022, we continue to make progress on the Affordable Housing Framework which will accelerate the pace of housing delivery in Southampton.
In June this year we received tenders from qualifying organisations and registered housing providers to bid to be on the framework and we are now in the process of evaluating the responses. We aim to complete the evaluation in the coming weeks and confirm the framework delivery partners later this summer.
 Townhill Way crossing improvements
This Townhill Way pedestrian/cycle improvement scheme is being delivered in partnership with Hampshire County Council and is funded jointly between the two councils. As part of the scheme, there will be footway widening works undertaken, enhancement of the existing cycleway network and implementation of a new parallel crossing close to Meggeson Avenue and Moorlands School.
The works on Townhill Way will start on 24 July for approximately 5 weeks, with the majority of the works taking place between 7am and 5pm each weekday.
To minimise the disruption of the works, they will be completed in three phases, starting on the North side footway and moving onto the South side before a final phase of resurfacing works can then be completed. More information can be found online.
Our strategic highways partner, Balfour Beatty, will be using the vacant Plot 2 site opposite 46 Roundhill Close as a site compound.
 Townhill Park environment
Environmental improvements
Each year, our Local Housing Office has a small budget to spend on environmental improvements across our neighbourhoods. Previously this money has been used for fencing, bin screens, garden planters, signage and small parking improvements.
Although we cannot promise to take forward every suggestion, we would like to hear your ideas and talk to you about improvements to Townhill Park.
You can contact the Housing Office with your ideas via email or by using the Housing Office’s contact form.
Friends of Townhill Park Environment
Interested in joining a voluntary park friends group in Townhill Park? You can register you interest by emailing friendsoftpenvironment@gmail.com. Visit the Friends of Townhill Park Environment Facebook page to stay up to date with local environment events and activities.
Join us on Saturday 29 August from 10am to 1pm for a litter picking activity at Frogs Copse!
 Image: Townhill Green
Love Where You Live event on Townhill Green
On 16 August, from 1:30pm to 3:30pm, we will be holding a love where you live event in Townhill Green in partnership with SO18 Big Local and Townhill Park Resident's Association.
It will be a family friendly event with lots of activities for all ages to get involved in. There will be stalls where residents can learn more about local services, inflatables, a face painter and lots of different games for children. We will also be gathering feedback and design ideas on a planned art project for Townhill Park that aims to brighten up the area.
 FREE summer activities courtesy of SO18 Big Local
Community Gardening
When: Monday mornings from 24 July to 21 August from 10:30am to 12:30pm
Join community gardener Pippa for free activities including painting wildlife signs, making bee friendly seed bombs and creating a bug hotel. Click here to find out more information.
Giant inflatables with Solent University
When: Weekday afternoons from 25 July to 16 August from 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Join Solent University at MacArthur Crescent, Townhill Green and Somerset Avenue over the summer period for fun with giant inflatables! Click here to find out more information.
Explore outdoors with Youth Options
When: Thursday mornings from 27 July to 24 august from 10am to 12pm
Join Youth Options at Frogs Copse to explore all things 'outdoor' from birds and bees to plants and trees! Click here to find out more information.
 Planning summer activities for your children?
Is your child eligible for benefit-related free school meals and aged 4 - 16 years old? If so, your child can enjoy a range of free activities across the city learning new skills, making new friends and have a free hot meal. Parents can also access a range of useful resources at every site. There are over 3,000 spaces a day across 60 sites this summer all funded by the Department for Education.
Bookings for the Summer Holiday, Activities and Food Programme (HAF) are now live! Visit our website for more information or contact us at haf@southampton.gov.uk
 Image: External cleaning at 1-21 Kingsdown Way
Neighbourhood Warden impact day
The Neighbourhood Wardens were joined by council staff in May for a special impact day around Kingsdown Way. Organised by the local Neighbourhood Wardens, the impact day aimed to get local people and council staff working together for the benefit of the neighbourhood.
The impact day involved:
- External cleaning of the block, ripped out redundant fencing and repaired and repainted the bin areas
- Open spaces team cleared the paving around two of the blocks, cleared the weeds and removed two large shrub beds
- Mini sweepers swept the areas and verges and all the grass areas have been mowed and cleared four flatbeds of waste materials
- The old shrub beds will be grass and wild flower seeded
- All four blocks had a deep clean
- New parking restrictions were also installed
- Graffiti removed / painted over
If you want assistance to organise an impact day, you can contact the Local Housing Office.
 Results of the 'all out' May elections
51 seats were up for election with 48 seats declared at the count on Friday 5 May 2023. Three seats in Coxford Ward were declared last week following the abandonment of the Coxford ward election after the death of a candidate.
The results:
The Labour group have retained control of the council. The full make-up of the council is now as follows:
- Labour - 38
- Conservative - 9
- Liberal Democrats - 3
- Green - 1
The city is divided into 17 wards and each have three councillors. The complete list of councillors and Cabinet is available on our website.
Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Housing:
Following the May election results, Councillor Lorna Fielker was confirmed as the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Housing for Southampton City Council. Councillor Fielker comments:
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"I am delighted to be your Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Housing, leading on the ongoing regeneration of Townhill Park.
"When people feel they belong and have a greater say in their area, they take greater pride in it and each other. This leads to a reduction in crime, an improved environment, and a greater sense of wellbeing. Good quality, affordable housing plays a huge role in this and we will be working towards providing at least an additional 8,000 affordable homes by 2040.
"I look forward to working with you as we continue to work hard on regenerating Townhill Park."
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Southampton City Council's new Director of Housing
Jamie Brenchley has recently joined Southampton City Council as Director of Housing. Jamie brings with him many years of experience working in the housing sector, and he is looking forward to getting to know staff, tenants, and leaseholders in Southampton.
Read more about Jamie and his recent appointment in April's edition of Tenants' Link.
Are you a council tenant and not yet signed up to our monthly 'Tenants' Link' e-news bulletin? Sign up here to receive all the latest housing news straight to your inbox!
 Image: The Old Fire Station Surgery, Woolston: (L-R) Dr Karen Malone, Dr Debbie Chase
Townhill GP Practice signs the NHS Smokefree Pledge
Southampton Woolston and Townhill Primary Care Network (PCN) have joined Southampton Central PCN as the second PCN in the country to sign the NHS Smokefree Pledge, joining the many NHS hospital trusts across the country who are already signatories.
By signing up to the pledge, the team in Southampton Woolston and Townhill are committing to:
- Treat tobacco dependency among patients and staff who smoke
- Ensure smokers within the NHS have access to the medication they need to quit
- Create environments that support quitting through implementing smokefree policies
To find out more about how you can start your journey to becoming smokefree, visit the our website. Support to stop smoking is available from most Southampton GP practices and participating pharmacies.
Read more here.
 Low cost healthy food for £5 a week
The Marketplace at Townhill Park is a membership food project, providing access to healthy food on Thursday mornings at Townhill Park Community Centre, Meggeson Avenue, SO18 2FH.
For just £5 a week, members can choose 15 items from a range of fresh, frozen and refrigerated foods. The Marketplace is open to anyone with an SO18 2 postcode or living in Vanguard Road, Vale Drive or Summit Way.
For more information, email marketplace@southamptoncitymission.co.uk.
Donations welcome at Townhill Junior School
Townhill Junior School, with support from Southampton City Mission, runs a food bank to help families in need. The food bank normally runs on a Wednesday or Thursday.
If you would like to donate, please drop your donations off at the school office at any time - Townhill Junior School, Benhams Rd, Southampton SO18 2NX.
Donations of children’s books and uniforms are also welcome.
 When did you last check your tumble dryer?
Last year, Hampshire & IOW Fire and Rescue Service attended a total of 54 fires involving tumble dryers; six of these were in Southampton.
Properly maintaining your tumble dryer is important to ensure you, your family and your neighbours stay safe.
Top tips on tumble dryer maintenance:
- Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions before using your dryer.
- Never leave your appliance unattended or running overnight.
- Never put rags or materials into your tumble dryer if they have been used to soak up flammable liquids.
- Keep your dryer well ventilated, ensuring that the vent pipe is kink free, not blocked or crushed in any way.
- Never cover the vent or any other opening, and only use recommended vent pipes and not improvised ones.
- Clean the filter in your dryer after every use.
- Only vent the warm air to the outside of the building.
- Have your dryer serviced regularly by a qualified engineer.
- Always have working smoke alarms installed in your home and test them regularly.
- Register your household electrical appliances so that manufacturers can easily get in touch if there is a problem, fault or danger with a product you’ve brought.
You can find more information about health and safety in your home on our website.
 Image: Fly-tipping at Rowlands Walk, Townhill Park - later removed
Fly-tipping in Townhill Park
Fly-tipping is a criminal offence with significant penalties available to the courts when the perpetrators are identified.
The Local Housing Office are monitoring the fly-tipping around Rowlands Walk and Benhams Road. Fly-tipping signs and CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor this.
If you see someone fly-tipping, report it via our website.
To find out more about what we're doing to combat fly-tipping in Southampton, you can read our fly-tipping action plan 2023-28.
 Enjoy your open spaces this summer
Get active outdoors!
Spending time outdoors being active is a great way to look after your mental and physical wellbeing.
Whether it’s a walk in the park, cycling to work, or going for a run, being active can help you to feel healthier and reduce symptoms of anxiety and stress. It’s also a great opportunity to connect with others.
Not sure where to start? Here are some ways you can get active in a way that’s comfortable for you:
The outdoor gym at Townhill Green is suitable for all levels of fitness from gentle exercise through to a high intensity work out.
Visit our website for more ideas on how you can get active in Southampton.
Protect our open spaces
With the grass being longer and the weather being drier this time of year, it's important to remember that we need to enjoy our natural open spaces responsibly.
Hot and dry conditions increase the risk of wildfires.
Whilst barbecues can be fun social events at this time of year, they're best left at home - pack a picnic instead.
Remember to take all your leftovers home with you and 'leave no trace' when you have finished enjoying your local natural open spaces.
Summer can be a challenging time for trees, especially in areas with hot, dry weather. Our tree team are responsible for tree watering but sometimes we need a little help from the community.
That's why we are asking you to step in to make a difference. By taking a few minutes out of your day to water the trees on your street or in your local park, you can help ensure that trees stay healthy and strong.
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