Home Group

RAYNERS LANE

London Borough of Harrow

Rayners Lane is a prime example of how Home Group’s collaborative approach to regeneration is transforming neighbourhoods: creating successful, desirable and sustainable places, where people, businesses and communities can thrive and grow.

The ongoing success of the Rayners Lane estate regeneration is built upon long-term partnerships and close consultation with the London Borough of Harrow, our team of architects, contractors and other development partners, and wide engagement with local people and stakeholders.

Home Group’s commitment to long-term partnerships, our financial strength and significant resources are our foundation for delivering high quality regeneration, outstanding return on investment, long-term legacy benefits and community creation - at Rayners Lane and in all our community investment programmes.

The challenge: crime, deprivation and neglect

The Rayner’s Lane estate was originally built in the 1960s. Its stock was transferred to Home Group from the London Borough of Harrow in 2002 and the regeneration programme started in 2003.

Over the years the mono-tenure council estate had fallen into a state of disrepair, due to lack of investment and neglect. This, in turn, had led to increased crime and anti-social behaviour.

The estate’s decline, coupled with poor quality housing, increased deprivation and high levels of crime, made living there unsafe and undesirable.

The solution: Re-design, re-build, reinvest

Rayners Lane is an aspirational development, demonstrating innovation in both design and sustainability, with features such as solar panel heating on all homes.

More homes: 539 homes are being demolished and replaced with 800 new homes.

Mixed tenure: The new Rayners Lane will provide a choice of homes including outright sale and shared equity options, as well as homes for affordable rent.

The range of affordable buying options is attracting in new residents, including first time buyers, whilst innovative and eco-friendly design and energy-saving features, appeal to existing and new residents alike.

A whole new community: The new Rayners Lane is all about community and quality of life. Phases 1-6 are now complete, with 500 houses and apartments, local shops and business space provided, along with the Beacon - a multifunctional community centre - high quality sports facilities and a new park. It’s a place that will create new wealth, improved health and wellbeing, safer and more attractive neighbourhoods.

A flexible business model: The regeneration of Rayners Lane will be delivered at a cost of £140 million. Key to its success is a business model, built in collaboration with a range of stakeholders, which facilitates cross subsidy of affordable housing through private sales.

The business model also has a built-in flexibility to respond to market pressures should the need arise. The scheme has already benefited from this flexibility when units for sale were made temporarily available for market rent over a number of years until values improved.

This maintained a good level of income and avoided properties remaining empty or being sold at depressed values.

Home Group has also launched a shared equity scheme which is already proving very popular. Under the scheme, applicants are able to buy 75% equity and the remaining 25% is held by Home Group for 10 years.

Managing the supply chain

The success of the new Rayners Lane is due in no small part to Home Group’s establishment of a core construction and employer’s agent team, which has remained stable throughout the project.

The team behind the design, build and management of the project was procured through a competitive tendering process and is:

•    PTEA Masterplanning and Architecture
•    MEPK Masterplan Development and Architecture
•    Levitt Bernstein Architecture
•    Calford Seaden Cost Consultancy/Employers Agent Services
•    Willmott Dixon Construction.

Keeping the team consistent throughout has enabled them to learn and improve for each successive phase. At the same time, Home Group has organised its internal teams so as to ensure continuity and consistency of contact for residents.

Co-created with residents

Resident involvement has been fundamental to our success in regenerating Rayner’s Lane. We have worked closely with both the London Borough of Harrow and the wider community in formulating and agreeing our proposals and developing the scheme.

Together we have transformed Rayner’s Lane into a place of aspiration and opportunity. We have created new, accessible and exciting living environments which are attracting new people in and inspiring those already here to transform their lives and enjoy living here.

Far more than just physical regeneration, the new Rayner’s Lane is a long-term social and economic investment programme to improve the area and life opportunities for those who live here.

A neighbourhood plan, developed in consultation with residents and stakeholders, supports the development of community based assets and a range of social inclusion initiatives such as community safety, skills and employment, health and wellbeing, children and youth activities, support for older people, sports and art activities.

The Beacon community centre serves as a primary hub for numerous support and leisure activities for all age groups, led by Home Group and our specialist partners.

Regular activities include:

•    A range of sports clubs for young people and adults.
•    Youth and children’s activities including: youth clubs, holiday activity programmes and diversionary schemes to encourage young people into creative, arts and music activities and away from anti-social behaviour.
•    Education and skills classes including English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), computer skills and literacy.
•    Recreational activities including yoga, Indian dance and the Golden Age Club for older people.
•    Employability schemes and job clubs.
•    Advice services including drugs and alcohol, employment and training.

Estate residents are able to influence strategy and estate management through the Rayners Lane Estate Committee. Established to oversee management and redevelopment of the estate, the committee is made up of ward councillors, Home Group nominees, resident association representatives, elected community representatives and co-optees.

Customer service

Our dedicated customer service partners play an integral role in neighbourhood management, taking a proactive, rather than a reactive, approach and providing just the right balance of support and management.

They deliver our Brilliant Bases and Magic Touches service, providing individually tailored solutions for our customers. This, combined with customer profiling information, helps us understand our customers and shape and deliver services to best meet their needs.

Our housing management team is permanently located on-site in an office at the Beacon Centre, where they can work closely alongside the community development team.

A partnership for success

Home Group welcomes and is committed to building long-term partnerships which deliver neighbourhood regeneration projects that truly transform communities for the better.

Rayners Lane is just one of many successful initiatives which we are leading across the country, bringing new life, energy, innovation and opportunity to both urban and rural neighbourhoods across a wide range of situations and market challenges.

Read the Rayners Lane Final Full Report