Community spirit alive and well in new development

 A GROUP of Basingstoke residents have joined forces to foster a new community spirit and help manage their new development.

Fifteen tenants, home-owners, and shared owners at the new Austen Court apartment complex in Houndmills are setting up their own residents’ association to work with landlord Sentinel Housing Association on a range of issues to improve their quality of life.

The £20m development officially opened in July 2008, and is made up of 162 homes – 58 for rent, 42 for shared ownership, and 62 for private sale.

The Austen Court Residents’ Association will have influence over a wide range of services, from selecting contractors to manage the estate, to tackling nuisance neighbours.

Chairman Lewis Johnston said: “I very much look forward to working with other members of the committee and the residents of Austen court to create a community which we are all proud to be part of.”

Sentinel will hand over a cheque for £250 on Thursday 16 October 2008 to get the association up and running, and the association will now be able to bid for further funding from Sentinel’s Community Chest improvement fund.

Sentinel Neighbourhood Manager Melissa Chapman said: “We’re committed to involving our customers in all we do, and this group has a big role to play in building up community spirit and maintaining good relations between neighbours.”

This is the first resident group on a Sentinel development to pool together private homeowners, shared owners and tenants, and their opinions will also be sought over future policy and design decisions.

Sentinel devolves 1% of its annual turnover to Community Chest to support community projects, and Executive Director Val Bagnall added: “Housing associations are pretty unique in giving their customers so much control over the way we run the business, and Community Chest is an excellent way for resident groups to bid directly for a project they think will improve the way they live.”