Copperworks Housing Cooperative case study

Flat 0/1, 284 Royston Road
Glasgow G21 2JB

Project:

Who

Copperworks Housing Co-operative is a registered social landlord with 283 properties in the North of Glasgow.

What

Copperworks HC properties are mainly tenements, with individual backcourts for each close, collected around a large area of common land.
The individual backcourts are being improved and upgraded by the residents themselves, with the support of Copperworks staff and a small grant.

Why

The entire area between the tenements – both the common land, known as the ‘backlands’ and the individual backcourts - had received little maintenance or development for 15 years. The whole area had become dilapidated and messy, de-valuing the community and becoming a target for anti-social behaviour.
The bad condition of the individual backcourts became more obvious when the common ‘backlands’ was improved through a large capital investment project. This left the residents looking out at an attractive public area, but with the unattractive barrier of their immediate, private backcourt. This contrast was the trigger for the project.

When

Planning for the first individual backcourt improvements started in June 2006, and the project is ongoing.

Social

Consultation
There was limited funding for improving the individual backcourts. So improvements could only take place if the local residents became actively involved, committing their time and labour to carrying out the work and maintaining it in the long-term. To encourage a greater sense of ownership and participation, everyone was given the opportunity to take part and identify their own priorities.
Open days were organised to raise awareness and collect people’s ideas. Regular newsletters were issued to keep everyone informed about progress. Kelvin Clyde Greenspace supported the Copperworks staff in these consultation activities and provided design and planting advice.
The residents of each backcourt came up with quite individual and different designs. Some preferring a play space for children while others identifying a seating area for adults. Everyone wanted planting areas though with different ends in view – one group of residents are hoped to attract butterflies. The bin shelter areas, which were quite dilapidated, could not be rebuilt for the small budget but a variety of screening solutions were developed.

Participation
To carry out their chosen backcourt improvements, neighbours in each close had to get together and ‘bid’ for the opportunity. They were not asked to pay anything towards the improvements but were expected to contribute their manual labour. Three closes were chosen in the first stage.
The main improvement works took place over one Saturday, and were carried out by the residents themselves with support from Copperworks and Kelvin Clyde Greenspace staff. Everyone was involved in digging, planting, re-laying slabs, erecting screens etc.
This level of participation in the initial improvement work has greatly increased the sense of ownership and responsibility for the backcourts. Residents are now using their backcourts to a much greater extent and are undertaking further improvements and ongoing maintenance.
The same model is now being promoted for other backcourts and there is now a waiting list of committed residents who want to take part in improvements to their own spaces. Some backcourts in the area that have not yet been improved have become cleaner and better kept, as the example of the improved backcourts has raised the local standard.

Environmental

Physical

The improved sense of ownership and involvement has greatly increased the resident’s use of their spaces, which is a key element of a sustainable backcourt – a backcourt is for the use of the residents and should not be an empty, no-go area. The diverse designs and layouts of the backcourts have led to an enhanced sense of community responsibility.

Biodiversity
The residents themselves, with the advice and support of the Kelvin Clyde Greenspace staff, individually designed the planting in each backcourt. In several cases, residents chose planting specifically to attract wildlife including butterflies. Residents are actively feeding birds in several backcourts.

Recycling

Tenemental recycling has recently been introduced in the area, with blue bins for each backcourt.

Economic

Funding sources

The funding for the individual backcourts improvements came from Copperworks HC’s own resources, Kelvin Clyde Greenspace and the B&Q Community Fund. The residents gave their time and labour – an ‘in-kind’ contribution.

Cost

The cost of improvements was around £1,000.00 per close which covered plants, planters, trellis, compost, skip hire and any other materials. As the residents performed the majority of the work, labour costs were significantly reduced.

Long term economic benefits

The improved backcourts makes these closes more attractive when it comes to re-letting, therefore void rent loss is dramatically decreased. Maintenance budgets will also be reduced as the residents are taking an active part in preserving and improving the backcourts.

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Construction & Maintenance

No major construction could take place in the backcourts as there was only a small budget and the works were limited to what the residents themselves could do. However, even these small, low cost improvements have made a real difference to the backcourt areas. The bin stores were screened in a variety of imaginative ways and the different planting plans for each backcourt introduced diversity and interest.

Copperworks HC cuts the grass, but the residents carry out all other maintenance.

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Gallery

Summary of Project

The aim of the project was to address historical neglect and improve the backcourt areas, both socially and environmentally. Funding was limited, and resident involvement was a key element of delivering the project.
Residents were consulted and kept informed throughout the whole process using open days and newsletters. They were asked to contribute their time and labour to the development of their own backcourts and this commitment greatly increased the social and environmental impacts on the improvement. Since the original three closes took part, so many more residents want to get involved that there is now a waiting list.
The time invested by Copperworks HC and Kelvin Clyde Greenspace in encouraging community involvement has generated the social investment of the residents, which has maximised the impact of a small amount of funding. A sense of ownership and participation, essential for sustainability, has been created due to the practical nature of the residents’ involvement. The project is ongoing, with new participants working to improve their backcourts.
Although only some of the backcourts have been improved by this project so far, the standard of other backcourts has improved as the aspirations of all the residents have been raised.

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