Report 2012 - Wishaw and District Housing Association

Our Little Patch of
Green – Easter Road
Eco Garden
A highlight this year has been the delivery of
our Eco Garden at Easter Road Shotts.
Created in conjunction with Dykehead
Primary School and the Restorative Justice
Team (North Lanarkshire Council) for both the
community and school to utilise as an
allotment/outdoor classroom space, the
project has transformed this little patch of
Shotts.
The garden was formally opened on
Friday 20th April 2012 when Depute Provost
Jim Robertson planted an apple tree to mark
the occasion. After the official ceremony, the
school’s eco committee delivered a fantastic
presentation on their various environmental
projects, rounded off with their own
environmental song and our Chief Executive
Anne Cooper presented a sun dial and
weather station to help get the children get
started with their new eco adventure.
We are extremely grateful to our funders,
Scottish Power Renewables, for providing
almost all the funds through their Community
Benefit Fund set up as part of the Blacklaw
Windfarm development, and also Dobbies at
Sandyholm Garden Centre who kindly donated
plants.
If you live in the area and would like to
come and get involved with the
garden please contact either
Susan Tait or Mykela Heath at
the Association for more
details.
Development News
Main Street Wishaw
In August 2011 we appointed a preferred
development partner, CCG (Scotland) Ltd,
to work with ourselves and our design
team to progress a development strategy
for the site that we own at Main Street
Wishaw. Our design options include
housing for rent, housing for sale and
accommodation for the elderly, and we
have been discussing with a care home
operator the option of constructing a care
home on part of the site. However, to date
no firm decisions have been taken as to
exactly what will be built on this site and
when.
Nevertheless, we are pleased to report
that this prominent town centre
development has been given priority within
the Council’s recently published Strategic
Housing Investment Programme and we
hope to be allocated grant funding and
secure the loan finance that will allow us
to take the project forward this year or
next.
Future New Building
In the current economic climate procuring
funding for new developments is proving to
be difficult and expensive. While
government subsidy remains relatively low,
and therefore the sums that we must
borrow have increased, we are also
expected to meet ever more stringent
building standards.
Although we remain committed to
developing new communities in Wishaw
and the surrounding areas we must, in
common with all housing associations,
ensure that we do not do so at the cost of
managing and maintaining our existing
properties. Regrettably the future of our
development programme remains uncertain
with no specific proposals beyond our Main
Street project.
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