Residents of Arthur Street now only have 6 months to find a home in order for the council to begin redevelopment, but what will happen if not all residents are gone? Each week a new property is uploaded for the residents to bid on but what are the residents supposed to do when the council can’t find a property?

Arthur Street currently features three 12 storey tower blocks providing 263 flats and maisonettes which are considered to be no longer fit to meet modern standards, but will it be better? Or will it be more difficult and affect other streets surrounding it?

It is a proposed £73m scheme featuring around 280 new homes where 80% will be affordable rent or shared ownership. When this development was first commencing, residents of Arthur Street were offered only £4000 in order to help them redecorate their new home. Since then the price increased to £6000, gaining only £2000 extra. Just 13 Residents in Cranbrook house - one of the three tower blocks - have moved out, causing the council to have to raise their funds, in an attempt to convince the other residents to move in order for the redevelopment to take place.

The Arthur Street redevelopment scheme is set to improve the future and make it a better place to live but have they actually considered the streets surrounding? One of the key points they addressed is that they’re “looking at closing The Nursery to vehicles round near the dental surgery. There would be a turning head on either side of the constriction. Residents of the new development and of Warwick Court would come and go by Tesco Express roundabout; resident south of the site would come and go via Peareswood Road turning left and Bridge Road to go right. The aim is to take away the ‘rat run’ and make both the new development and The Nursery less dominated by cars, creating a safe walking and pedestrian route down towards Peareswood school.” This was posted on the Arthur Street Future page on the 6th November, 2017 all confirmed by Orbit.

Although they have explained what will happen to the bypass from Tesco Express to Peareswood Road to get rid of the ‘rat run’, they have in fact moved the ‘rat run’ over to Newberry Road and Cloudesley Avenue creating difficulty for all those who drive. It is improving one area by ruining another.

Is this redevelopment really the best thing for the area or is it going to make things difficult for residents living outside of the estate?