MERCHANTS’ QUARTER REVITALISES LOCAL NEIGHBOURHOOD

Mar 6 2009

Partnership creates model for community regeneration

Telford Homes in partnership with EastendHomes hosted a ceremony for their Merchants Quarter mixed-use, mixed-tenure development in Bow, East London, on Friday 6th March. This marked the completion of phase four of their major regeneration scheme and the handover of a new community centre to local residents. The ceremony was attended by Minister for London Jim Fitzpatrick MP, plus representatives from Telford Homes, EastendHomes and other local dignitaries. Telford Homes, Apollo and EastendHomes presented the community centre with a new minibus at the ceremony.

Merchants Quarter will provide 161 new open market sale homes, many of which have already been occupied. The scheme incorporates the full refurbishment of the existing British Estate buildings, also 19 apartments and five new houses for social rent, a new community centre and cultural facility, as well as new retail space recently occupied by Tesco.

The refurbishment of the existing British Estate buildings is well underway and is due for completion by 2010, along with the final phase of the open market scheme. The Kira Building at Merchants Quarter was recently honoured in the Your New Home Awards as Best City Development and once completed, it is hoped that the whole project will act as a model for more community regeneration.

The ceremony is a milestone in the first of seven major regeneration schemes that Telford Homes is undertaking in partnership with EastendHomes. Together, they are committed to reinvigorating existing communities to promote tenure-blind development, by providing new homes and community areas.

Speaking at the ceremony, Paul Bloss, Chief Executive of EastendHomes commented: “In Telford Homes, we could not have asked for a better development partner; thank you to them for their enthusiasm and dedication.”

Andrew Wiseman, Chief Executive of Telford Homes commented: “The event on site here today celebrates the regeneration of an entire community. Merchants Quarter provides high quality housing and creates a safer, greener zone for all to enjoy and it has been a privilege to be a part of the redevelopment of the British Estate.”

Andy Osbourne, Project Manager for EastendHomes commented: “Merchants Quarter has not only allowed us to regenerate the British Estate for existing tenants, but will encourage new people to join a close knit community through the provision of new homes. We are pleased to hand over a new community centre, which has created a lot of local excitement and will ultimately bring people together for years to come.”

http://cdn.telfordhomes.net/files/press_releases/janjune2009/06_03_2009.pdf