Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Swan Housing Association have signed contracts and formed a joint venture partnership that will work to deliver the regeneration of the Queensway estate.
This follows full council approval of Swan Housing Association as preferred bidder in February 2019 following a 10 month procurement process that started in March 2018.
The joint venture partnership, called Porters Place Southend LLP has now been formed and will work on creating a full masterplan prepared for the site. This will involve further consultation with residents, local businesses and other key stakeholders and the LLP’s ambition is to submit its masterplan for planning approval in 2020. Southend-on-Sea Borough Council will be writing to residents to confirm this exciting news and to let them know what to expect for the next stages of this project.
Andy Lewis, deputy chief executive of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, says: “This is another important milestone in the regeneration of the Queensway estate and we look forward to working together to deliver this regeneration. This project will not only provide better housing and a better place for those currently living on the estate, it will also help to make this area a key entrance into our town centre and connect what will be a thriving new community with it and help to deliver a key part of our resident led ambition for 2050.
“This is really just the beginning and there is much more work to be done. We are now collectively focused on the next stages. This includes working with stakeholders, including residents and businesses to prepare a masterplan for submission for planning approval and more will be announced in due course.”
John Synnuck, CEO of Swan Housing Association commented: “We’ve been taking on complex regenerations just like Better Queensway for the last 25 years and so we are delighted to now have entered into partnership with Southend-on-Sea Borough Council so that, working together, we can bring about the long-awaited regeneration of Queensway.
“Our teams are very much looking forward to working with the council, the residents and local stakeholders at Queensway to develop a masterplan for Queensway which will make it a great place to live and work and a place where everyone in Southend-on-Sea wants to go.
“As part of Porters Place Southend LLP, we will work with you to transform Queensway from an isolated and aging estate into a thriving community right in the centre of Southend-on-Sea. We’re experts at supporting residents and local stakeholders through regenerations and we will be there every step of the way, with the council and South Essex Homes, to support you to feel at home. We look forward to meeting you all in the coming months.”
Background on procurement process:
The Council started the procurement process back in March 2018 with a launch event at the end of the Pier. Several companies went through various stages of the detailed process, with Swan coming through the robust procurement process as preferred bidder.
The February 2019 cabinet report detailed how Swan’s tender met the requirements laid down by the council, including building more than 441 affordable homes on the site and how Swan will help us deliver not only the regeneration but also manage it for the long term.
Swan’s example scheme developed for the purposes of the procurement process, included approximately 1,600 new homes, of which over 500 would be affordable. The example scheme also maintained four lanes of traffic on Queensway, new green spaces and improved walking and cycling permeability and space to play. It also incorporated a community fund, improvements to energy and sustainability, and the whole area being designed using secured-by-design principles.
Background on joint venture partnership:
Porters Place Southend LLP has been created to enable Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Swan Housing Association to work together to bring about the regeneration of the Better Queensway area. The two parties will establish a new 30 year 50/50 partnership vehicle, that will develop plans for regenerating Queensway, and then fund and develop the new scheme. The Partnership will then have an ongoing role in managing the site, and through the partnership and its members, manage the housing, commercial uses and significant public realm that will be delivered. The Partnership’s vision is focused on regenerating this crucial gateway to the town and creating a fantastic new neighbourhood for local residents to live, work and play.