Newcastle’s Montagu estate has been awarded a ‘Gold’ grade following a YHN inspection, which has a mixed tenure of council properties and owner-occupiers, was inspected by the Housing body, Your Homes Newcastle, in January 2015. The field work, involving observations, interviews with residents and survey questionnaires and was conducted over a two month period..
The following streets looked at included: Wyndley House, Wyndley Way/Avenue, Roeburn Way, Braebridge Place, Coniscliffe Ave, Brookvale Ave,Ferrydene, The Crossway, Drummond Road, Millfield Ave, Linksill Place, Burnfoot Way, Bygate Close, Woodleigh View, Ashbrook Street, Dene Bank View, Creighton Ave and Bideford Rd – a cross section of the estate which has 1,500 households.
Although residents were generally happy with their estate, a number of issues were raised with council officials such as litter in shrubs, street weed, tyre damage to grassed verges, overgrown hedges and damaged walls. All of these concerns were reported to the Council’s Envirocall service and Kenton Ward councillors and were tackled promptly.
Coun. Stephen Lambert, who represents Kenton, and is the Ward’s Committee Chairman, said : ‘’This is a pleasing report which clearly suggests that Montagu is a desirable place to live. There still exists a demand for properties on the estate by tenants who live in other parts of the city and young families who want to buy their first home. That’s why we’re investing in more homes – some for sale and affordable social housing on three brownfield sites such as unused land next to Harehills Tower, and open brownfield space next to the Town Moor.’’
A similar development has been completed next to Roeburn Way, Montagu, which has seen the building of 20 new bungalows for older and disabled people. Most of the newly built properties are now occupied.
YHN have put together an action plan to make further improvements to Montagu estate.