This community-led neighbourhood partnership in Chatham, started in November 2004, targets resources in support of improvements in the quality of life for the community in the Brook and Great Lines areas. The Brook-Lines neighbourhood lies across River Ward, encompassing the area from Fort Amherst in the north-west, running along the Brook to Luton Arches and up Chatham Hill to Longhill Avenue in the south-east.
The partnership consists of local organisations, including:
The area includes homes, shops and services. There is a mixture of closely-packed Victorian terraced houses, built for workers from the former naval dockyard and 1970s-built social housing, totalling about 500 homes. There are also businesses and shops around Luton Arches.
The area surrounding the neighbourhood has a rich history dating back to when the first dockyard was established on the banks of the River Medway by Henry VIII, followed in the 18th century by the Great Lines defence network. After 400 years of service, the Royal Naval Dockyard closed in 1984, taking the jobs of thousands of workers with it. This resulted in hardship for nearby communities like the Brook Lines.
The regeneration of Chatham town centre and the potential benefits linked to new developments, services and attractions coming to the town over the next 10 to 15 years will have a direct impact on the Brook Lines neighbourhood. The residents of Brook Lines and local service agencies are preparing to address the resulting issues with the Brook Lines Neighbourhood Action Plan (NAP).
Brook Lines Residents' Action Group
The consultations held by Medway Council in 2004 on the Chatham centre and waterfront development framework provided the opportunity for a group of local residents to make their voices heard. It was clear that residents wished to continue to be involved in the Chatham regeneration programme and so the Brook Lines Residents' Action Group was formed in September 2004. The group defined its area as the Brook Lines neighbourhood and its job as representing the different views of local residents and interested parties.
The group works to address many of the concerns identified during the consultation workshops and outlined in the Brook Lines NAP in 2005. The group has achieved a number of objectives including:
- an assessment of the essential maintenance needed for roads, pavements and street lighting;
- a project for the cleaning up and tidying of the Luton Arches area;
- bi-monthly meetings, organising events and practical help with the Chatham town centre traffic improvements scheme;
- formalising a Brook Lines Residents' Action Group constitution;
- contributing to the proposed Great Lines City Park project.
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Brook Lines Neighbourhood Action Plan (NAP)
Following the setting up of the Brook Lines Residents' Action Group, residents from the group took part in a series of five community futures workshops in November 2004 and January 2005 that led to the Brook Lines NAP, which identifies the organisations responsible for taking forward the plan's priorities of:
- a safer and more attractive neighbourhood;
- opportunities and facilities for young people and their active involvement in the neighbourhood;
- involving, addressing and meeting the needs of older residents;
- promoting health and health awareness;
- cleaning and tidying up the Luton Arches area;
- improving the accessibility and lighting of the Great Lines area and developing ways to open up the area for play and enjoyment for everyone;
- ensuring that new property developments consider affordable housing, improve the condition of the existing housing stock and encourage landlords to ensure standards in housing conditions are met;
- improved accessibility and parking facilities, pedestrian walkways and the introduction of traffic management schemes;
- maintaining roads, pavements and street lighting to an appropriate standard;
- addressing current learning needs and providing opportunities to develop skills to support employment opportunities;
- promoting local business enterprise and supporting the development of existing facilities.
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The Great Lines City Park A proposal for a world-class city park for a world-class city. Based on the restoration of a historic landmark of local, national and international significance, the proposed Great Lines City Park will be designed by and for the people of Medway. The park will offer education, training, sport and recreation opportunities, based on the historic fortifications of Chatham Lines and their field of fire. The Great Lines are are a magnificent heritage and open space asset but are under-used, suffering from poor access and low-quality facilities. Today, however, there is new life in Medway, with the area experiencing a wealth of regeneration initiatives that are expected to achieve dramatic change over the next twenty years. Within this context, the Great Lines deserves a new future as a world-class park. Amid massive change and regeneration, it could be a genuine gift to the people of Medway.
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The future Using input from the local community, including the residents' action group, a funding application was submitted to the Big Lottery Fund Living Landmarks Programme. The project was accepted for the long list of possible funding winners but regrettably, it failed to make it through to the final shortlist. Medway Council remains committed to achieving the original shared objectives of the project, however. In 2007, the council employed a dedicated officer to manage the World Heritage Site application and continue the Great Lines City Park initiative, thanks to support from the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust and English Heritage. For more information about Chatham's World Heritage, please visit www.chathamworldheritage.co.uk.
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