City of York Council and Tees Valley Housing Group are to stage an exhibition in the Chapelfields area of the city next month (September) as part of plans to regenerate an eyesore site blighted by vandalism.

The exhibition will be showing residents living in and around Bramham Road and Bramham Avenue the proposals for 12, new affordable homes on the Sanderson House site. And residents will also be able to submit ideas on how they would like to see the associated Chapelfields Community Centre site improved.

The council has been working closely with a group of local residents and councillors to gather views about how the flats, shop units, community centre and surrounding area should be re-developed.

Three housing associations were invited to present the group with their ideas for the Sanderson House site and Tees Valley Housing Group were chosen to work on the project.

For the first-phase of the area's re-development, Tees Valley Housing has drawn up plans to build 12 houses on the Sanderson House site - demolishing the existing buildings to provide ten, three-bedroom homes and a pair of four-bedroom homes.

Leaflets about the exhibition are being delivered to residents this weekend. Residents are being invited to view the proposals at the exhibition which is being staged at Chapelfields Community Centre on Bramham Avenue on Tuesday, September 3 between 1.30pm and 8pm.

Anyone wanting to see the plans in more detail and make comments can drop in to the exhibition. Residents can also ring community adviser Sarah Carrick on 01904 554101 or housing development officer Suzanne Walters on 554071 to comment.

Options for the future of the community centre and the land around it will form the second phase of the re-development. A number of ideas have been proposed by residents at recent meetings and these will be considered within the financial constraints of the development. The ideas include:

refurbishing the community centre, building a new community house providing a new shop building new affordable homes keeping some open space.

The council has appointed an independent consultant, Phil Bixby, to work with local people to identify their needs.

Mr Bixby will be at the Sanderson House exhibition to hear residents' initial views and ideas in advance of an extensive consultation process which will take place in late September or early October.

Councillor Ruth Potter, the council's executive member for housing, said, "Re-development of the area is moving forward which is very good news for all those who have had to put up with vandalism and anti-social behaviour associated with the Sanderson House site.

"We now want people to tell us what they think and are seeking everyone's views on the plans for housing and ideas for the future of the community centre site."

Martin Hawthorne, assistant director for business development at Tees Valley Housing Group, said, "Tees Valley Housing Group are delighted to work in partnership with Chapelfields residents to regenerate the former Bramham Road shops site. TVHG is a housing and community investment agency committed to creating affordable homes for local people throughout North Yorkshire."

Anyone needing help with transport to the exhibition should ring the Community Advice Team on 01904 554101.

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