Yorke Drive Regeneration Project, Newark for Newark and Sherwood District Council with Lovell and Compendium Living

Yorke Drive Regeneration Project, Newark for Newark and Sherwood District Council with Lovell and Compendium Living

 

The Yorke Drive Regeneration Project will facilitate transformational change across one of the most deprived areas within the district, by Transforming the estate through selective demolition and building new, high quality, mixed tenure homes; thoughtful landscaping & active frontages promote visibility ensuring the community feel secure, deterring entrenched ASB, & instilling a sense of pride.

 

 

Describe the context of the community engagement. Why did the engagement take place?

 

Community engagement has been fundamental to the development of the Yorke Drive regeneration, shaping every stage of the project from early design to policy development. Recognising that regeneration is not just about buildings but about people, we prioritised meaningful, inclusive engagement to ensure the outcomes reflected the needs, aspirations, and lived experiences of residents. We committed to reaching every household on the estate; achieved through a combination of community workshops, one-to-one engagement, display events, and household visits, ensuring that all voices were heard and overcoming barriers to engagement. These activities created space for dialogue, built trust, and allowed residents to influence key decisions. A key outcome has been the creation of the Yorke Drive Residents Panel, a diverse group representing tenants, homeowners, families, and older residents. The panel continues to play a vital role in reviewing proposals, shaping communications, and co-developing policies, ensuring the regeneration remained community led. Residents have been directly involved in shaping the Decant Policy, Equity Loan Model, and Disturbance Payment compensation structures. These policies were developed collaboratively to offer choice, minimise disruption, and ensure fairness—particularly the commitment to move residents only once, wherever possible. Community engagement has not been a one-off exercise but a continuous, evolving process. Over time the panel has evolved and as residents have been upskilled, they have themselves taken on the role of Panel Chair ensuring that the regeneration is not done to the community, but with it—resulting in a programme that is inclusive, resilient, and rooted in local identity.

 

Who did you engage with and how?

 

A key pillar to engagement has been one-to-one engagement with every household on the estate, allowing residents to discuss their individual circumstances and housing needs and ensuring that rehousing is personalised and responds to specific family, as well as community needs. Public events were held showcasing emerging designs, phasing plans, and policy proposals at each stage of the development and planning process. These were often attended by up to 100 residents and provided opportunities for residents to ask questions, offer feedback, and see how their input was being incorporated. The Residents Panel, a cross-section of the community, has played a vital role in shaping key decisions and acting as a sounding board for the project team. The panel, chaired by a resident from the estate, has been part of the procurement of the developer partner and most recently, the procurement of the removal’s contractor. A separate youth group input directly to the design of play areas. Engagement has extended into the development of key policies. The Decant Policy was co-designed with the community, offering tenants a clear choice to either remain on the estate or relocate, with a commitment to only moving residents once. The Equity Loan Model was developed in consultation with homeowners, providing a fair and flexible route to home ownership. Beyond formal engagement, staff have contributed to the social fabric of the estate through volunteering at the Food Hub and running and supporting community events such as the Yorke Drive Fun Day, Christmas and Halloween Parties.

 

Have you continued the conversation? Will the community stay involved? 

 

A key pillar to engagement has been one-to-one engagement with every household on the estate, allowing residents to discuss their individual circumstances and housing needs and ensuring that rehousing is personalised and responds to specific family, as well as community needs. Public events were held showcasing emerging designs, phasing plans, and policy proposals at each stage of the development and planning process. These were often attended by up to 100 residents and provided opportunities for residents to ask questions, offer feedback, and see how their input was being incorporated. The Residents Panel, a cross-section of the community, has played a vital role in shaping key decisions and acting as a sounding board for the project team. The panel, chaired by a resident from the estate, has been part of the procurement of the developer partner and most recently, the procurement of the removal’s contractor. A separate youth group input directly to the design of play areas. Engagement has extended into the development of key policies. The Decant Policy was co-designed with the community, offering tenants a clear choice to either remain on the estate or relocate, with a commitment to only moving residents once. The Equity Loan Model was developed in consultation with homeowners, providing a fair and flexible route to home ownership. Beyond formal engagement, staff have contributed to the social fabric of the estate through volunteering at the Food Hub and running and supporting community events such as the Yorke Drive Fun Day, Christmas and Halloween Parties.