Transforming Telford

A new community facility on a Telford estate has been praised for its “considerable progress” by assessors for a major regeneration awards scheme.

The Park Lane Centre in Woodside shows “considerable merit and potential” and has been invited to reapply for the British Urban Regeneration Association’s Best Practice award in 2008 after failing to make it to this year’s final.

The £4.4 million Park Lane Centre, which opened in 2006, replaced outdated community facilities as part of a 10-year regeneration of the estate. The centre includes a café, nursery, training and education rooms, chemist, National Health dental surgery, as well as a community hall and has become a focal point for the estate.

The centre made the awards shortlist of a dozen projects for the Best Practice in Regeneration award from a total of 150 applicants.

After an initial visit from assessors who met Woodside residents and members of the centre’s board of directors Janet Smith and Kate Fitchew, local resident and member of Woodside Regeneration Partnership Jean Edwards, Woodside Neighbourhood Manager Phil Heywood, and centre manager Jane Bellingham, the centre made a long list of 60 applicants.

A subsequent visit by a second assessor saw the centre on the shortlist but BURA has since written to the centre, saying it has not made this year’s final but asking it to reapply in 2008.

The letter from Kate Beeching, BURA Senior Best Practice Officer, said: “Although the panel considers the scheme has considerable merit and potential and its progress to date has been considerable it would like to defer assessment of the project for one year.

“This is not a rejection letter but rather that the panel would like to invite a resubmission of the project once it is able to demonstrate a greater track record of success as this is a key criterion of this awards scheme.”

The Park Lane Centre has also been shortlisted for a regional best practice award by RegenWM, an organisation which celebrates regeneration excellence in the West Midlands. Representatives of the Centre’s Board will attend the award ceremony on November 26.

Centre Manager Jane Bellingham said: “We are delighted to have made the shortlist of both of these prestigious awards. The Park Lane Centre is a great facility for the people of Woodside and I am delighted that it has achieved the recognition it deserves.”

Will Schofield, Regeneration Manager at Transforming Telford which is leading the regeneration, said: “The fact that the Park Lane Centre was shortlisted for the national BURA competition is testament to the hard work of the staff at the centre and the local residents who are using the centre and benefiting from its facilities.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Jo Cunningham on 07815 913887 or info@jocunningham.co.uk. Photographs are available of the Park Lane Centre

• The 10-year Woodside regeneration project aims to breathe new life into the physical and social environment of the south Telford area. It is being delivered by a partnership of agencies, led by Transforming Telford for Telford & Wrekin Council. It includes national regeneration agency English Partnerships, The Wrekin Housing Trust, Advantage West Midlands, Government Office of the West Midlands and The Housing Corporation.