The Fraser Avenue neighbourhood in Inverkeithing saw a reversal of fortunes over recent years. In, 2012, the once thriving post-war housing estate ranked in the top 15% of the most deprived areas of the country. However, the area’s long-term strategy has led to the Fife estate’s once strong community spirit is again re-emerging, thanks to the new regeneration project.

In addressing the social side of regeneration, rather than simply building houses, the project is setting a benchmark as a truly sustainable model for new and emerging neighbourhoods.

Background

Kingdom Housing Association (Kingdom) working in partnership with Fife Council, Campion Homes, 7N Architects, Bayne Stevenson Associates and Rankin Fraser aim to create a new neighbourhood of high quality affordable housing driving enhanced social cohesion from within through improved placemaking and innovative design.

The project team kept tenants and local residents involved in the design and decision-making process. As a result, all stages of the re-development were informed by meaningful community consultation. And so this included feasibility and establishing key design principles right through to completion. Rather than simply building houses, the project sets a benchmark with a socially sustainable model for new and emerging neighbourhoods.

Placemaking

The neighbourhood plan for Fraser Avenue became a garden suburb development. Thus, most houses would be comfy, low density terraced homes with front and back gardens. Existing residents asked for well-planned open green space that was walkable from their homes. Tree-lined public streets complimented this and the design followed Garden City Movement principles, typified by neighbouring Rosyth Garden Village.

Collaborative Working

Kingdom Housing Association and Fife Council’s clear vision for the project fostered collaborative, caring leadership. They partnered with the returning community and focused on reducing health and opportunity inequality. This has delivered an exemplar of what good housing and places can look like in the future. They have transformed a stigmatised area into a place local people and beyond can be proud of and celebrate.

Quotes

“Regeneration takes time, commitment and patience therefore it’s important to make sure that timelines are regularly updated and shared and that tenant / community expectations are managed as part of the process.”
Julie Watson, Capital Investment Manager, Kingdom Housing Association

“There was quite a number of original Fraser Avenue tenants who had very specific needs in terms of the family size or disabled needs. A lot of the homes are bespoke to specific needs,”
Ewan Anderson, 7N Architects

Conclusion

Some of the key benefits identified in this case study include:

• High tenant return rate thereby retaining rather than displacing the community as can sometimes happen through regeneration
• High return and levels of interest from neighbouring areas. This reduced vacancies and the time taken to realise return on investment for the client.
• But more importantly, real change in the lives of people living there; changes in their health, wellbeing and finances, including children playing in the streets, people engaging with their neighbours and greater care for the whole place.

Our full case study describes how these benefits have been achieved in the words of those involved. Please download our full case study for more information.

Further Information

Our visit to Fraser Avenue for the Housing to 2040 consultation is shown in this video.

Housing to 2040 report on Fraser Avenue, Inverkeithing

Housing to 2040: Case Studies and Reports

Case Studies Collection: Housing Typologies

Kingdom Housing Fraser Avenue Regeneration Page

7N Architects Case Study Fraser Avenue 

Scottish Housing News Report On Phase 1 completion at Fraser Avenue

About A&DS Case Studies

Our case studies series shows the benefits of good design in Scotland’s built environment. We highlight the processes behind our built environment as well as the finished result, to grow our collective understanding of good design practice. More of our case studies are available here. We want to grow this resource as much as we can. So if you have a question or comment about our Case Studies series, email us at info@ads.org.uk.