Property improvements will cut crime say Northfield residents

6 September, 2010

Residents living in South Birmingham have commended Birmingham City Council’s project to improve social housing in the area.

A survey of residents living in Northfield found that following a property improvement initiative, every single person said their home felt safer while 85 per cent said they expected it to lower crime in the area.

Affordable housing contractor, Wates Living Space, upgraded 225 homes in Northfield to the Decent Homes Standard for Birmingham City Council.  The project saw Wates installing insulation, repairing property facades, replacing roofs and installing new security doors and windows.

Steve Lydall, Project Manager for Wates Living Space said: “In addition to improving the exterior of people’s homes and improving insulation, homes have been improved to meet the police’s Secured By Design standard too.

“This means that the new doors and windows we installed have been designed to discourage criminals from trying to break in. The lighting in the area has also been improved which also deters criminals from operating in the area.

“Northfield currently has a slightly higher than average crime rate, so we anticipate that the improvements we’re making in the area will have a positive impact on this.”

 Pauline Rogers, a resident who has lived in Northfield for the last 10 years said: "There has been a lot of work done improving people’s houses and flats in the area, and it’s really changed the look of the estate.

 “The new secure doors and windows are much sturdier and a big improvement on what we had before and I think that it will put burglars off trying to break into houses on the estate in the future.”

Work on upgrading another 12.homes to the Decent Homes Standard is due to start in July 2010 and complete in November 2010.

To download this press release as a pdf click here

Categories: refurbishment, affordable housing, midlands

Tags: Birmingham City Council, crime, Decent Homes, Northfield