Channel 4 joins forces with Friendship to tackle empty
homes problem
It was an exciting day for the Munir
Family when TV presenter and Architect George Clarke, welcomed them
to their new home on Washwood Heath Road. George and Tiger
Aspect Productions have been making a new two part series, The
Great British Property Scandal, for Channel 4. This transmits
(tonight) Monday 5th at 9pm and again
tomorrow.
George has been delighted to work with
Friendship Care and Housing, Birmingham City Council and Ark
Housing Consultancy over the past few weeks and was accompanied by
Friendship’s MD Jonathan Driffill and Ark’s Nirvair Sander.
The project has been the refurbishment of this formerly neglected
property, previously flats and bedsits, but now a beautiful modern
family home. It has been phenomenal to discover just what is
possible in a very short period of time when people talk to each
other. They can make things happen.
As this TV project began several months ago George said, “The empty
homes problem across Britain is something I've been passionate
about for many years and I'm delighted that Channel 4 has decided
to make such a ground breaking programme. It is a privilege to be
at the centre of something with such amazing power to really make a
difference to the lives of many people not to mention breathing new
and much needed life back into some beautiful but neglected
properties!”.
Several months later some of the changes
he hoped for are happening and this Birmingham story is one of the
successes viewers will be able to enjoy.
George admits he has been delighted,
surprised and amazed by the wonderful commitment, creativity and
enthusiasm he has seen up close in Birmingham.
“When we met the people from, Friendship
Care and Housing, Birmingham City Council and Ark Housing
Consultancy we were hugely delighted to discover organisations who
were happy to think like us and work in partnership with us and
each other to achieve our desired end: turning deserted properties
into new and inspiring homes for today and the
future.
“It has been a lightning speed
turnaround and these fabulous results frankly couldn’t have been
achieved without the dedication of the hard-working building team
and all those people who have been approached, got interested and
crucially involved, either through giving time or resource.
Nothing could be more heart-warming to experience and today is the
day all the good work can be seen in its glory. We hope that
the family enjoy their new home and that this is the first of many
such initiatives. My personal dream is that up and down the
country others will be inspired to go where these incredible people
have gone and pave the way to a better British housing
future!”.
Friendship’s MD Jonathan Driffill said “This has certainly
been a whirlwind experience, but not one we would have missed out
on. The show reflects Friendship’s desire to bring empty
homes back into use. In partnership with Birmingham City
Council and Ark we completed a £1.65million scheme earlier in the
year. 13 three-storey Victorian properties were de-converted
from under-utilised small flats and bedsits into large family homes
with the project attracting £679,000 in grant funding from the
City’s Working Neighbourhood fund. We are now de-converting
the house next door and looking at other similar properties”.
Nirvair Sander from Ark Housing added “It is fantastic to be
recognised by Channel 4 for the on-going programme of empty home
de-conversions in Birmingham. Whilst partnership working can
present its challenges, we couldn’t be happier with the outcome and
hope that the successful partnership between Friendship, The
Council and Ark continues to meet the housing needs of communities
in Birmingham. We wish the Munir family every the success in their
new home.”
To find out more about the The
Great British Property Scandal, for Channel 4 go
to http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-great-british-property-scandal/articles/home/.