黑洞社区

When the chief executive of a major volume housebuilder can stand up, hand on heart, and say he is trying to build homes on wonderful, sustainable estates that are a joy to live in, you know this is a company that stands out from the crowd.鈥� So says Jon Rouse, former CABE chief executive, of Crest Nicholson, and it is difficult to argue with that. The housebuilder is currently working with Birmingham council to regenerate the Lee Bank council estate and neglected parkland, which up until now has been regarded as a no-go area for police and public alike. This desertion will be a thing of the past when the project is complete: the 拢33m mixed-use scheme will boast a wildflower meadow and a central piazza with a theatre to keep residents entertained. As well as coming to the attention of the community, Crest has also caught the eye of those at the top. Its Ingress Park site in Greenhithe, designed by architect Gardner Stewart, was chosen by Tony Blair and John Prescott as the site from which to launch the government鈥檚 Sustainable Communities Plan.

Port Marine in Bristol was the site of two power stations 鈥� now it has 920 stunning homes

Runners-up

Nobody can deny Barratt鈥檚 status as a leader in regeneration housing. Last year, the group provided more brownfield-built units than any other housebuilder, constructing more than 200 homes on brownfield sites every week. And quantity doesn鈥檛 compromise quality: Oyster Wharf, the pearl of the South Bank, is a remarkable redevelopment of a derelict wharf boasting luxury glass penthouses alongside affordable homes and a spectacular riverside walk.

Countryside Properties

Countryside Properties believes that it should not be possible to distinguish the tenure of a home from its appearance. Paradoxically, this shows in the firm鈥檚 developments. Greenwich Millennium Village, for example integrates affordable housing within the same apartment buildings as the housing for sale. The firm has also given a similar facelift to nearby Peckham, described by one critic as Southwark鈥檚 greatest regeneration achievement of the past 20 years.

Gleeson Regeneration

Part of the MJ Gleeson Group, Gleeson Regeneration was formed five years ago to carry out housing-led regeneration projects. In those five years, the firm has worked tirelessly to transform the landscape of some of the most rundown regions of northern England. These include Grove Village in Manchester, the first local authority PFI scheme to get off the ground. From an unpopular, crime-ridden estate, Gleeson鈥檚 intervention has created a 99-month waiting list for rented homes.

Keepmoat

During 2004/05, Keepmoat was selected as development partner in three pathfinder areas: Hull, Sheffield and the Wirral. The projects contributed to a group turnover of 拢26m last year, of which 拢238.3m came from regeneration and 拢87.6m affordable homes. Keepmoat delivered 30,000 homes over the year, meaning its work has had a positive impact on the lives of about 100,000 tenants and residents in the UK.

Lovell

Last year, Lovell developed more than 1100 affordable homes, refurbished 18000 others and uncovered 26 civil-war-period skeletons. The archaelogical finds, at the Neave Mews development in Oxfordshire, were an unusual example of Lovell鈥檚 contribution to local communities. The dedication is more generally found in its own low-cost ownership programme, Lovell Choice, and in its commitment to providing energy-efficient homes that beat 黑洞社区 Regulations requirements.