Attendants:
Delamere Neighbourhood Group (DNG), Four Avenues Residents Association (FARA), Bristol & Gloucester Residents Association (BGRA), Ian Spence (Watts St), Charlotte Smith (Greenway Ave), Ben Cowburn (Radcliffe St), Peter Thompson (Crompton Rd), Jonathan Floyd (Traders Association)

1. Introduction & Presentation.

Jenni from DNG attended the South Manchester Regeneration Meeting.


a) Levenshulme is split in two sections South & East
b) No plans for the area
c) Levenshulme lacks any voice

a) Only half of Levenshulme Ward would be included in the South Regeneration scheme.

b) No planning application submitted yet from developers for possible development in the area. Gorton is being regenerated around Tesco, Wythenshaw around Asda, but there is no a visible big business supporting Levenshulme’s development. Not only there are no plans but besides the area is losing out: closure of supermarket, demolition of community facilities, no clear future for the baths, closure of long established businesses, reduction of trade in smaller shops No clear direction what the Council’s intentions for the area are and lack of information about what is going on. Only hear and say about chat between developer and planning officers.

c) No visible representatives of the area to speak to the council. Council has not requested information from neighbours and difficulty of gathering feedback from neighbours to council about wishes.


2. We want.

There is a new meeting of the South Manchester Regeneration Team on 14th March and we want to participate with our ideas to be heard: A Supermarket, community centre, contribute/know to the industrial area’s future, baths & library future, traffic, crime & disorder. All these options have to be economically viable to ensure the regeneration in the long term.

3. How to do it:

b) Proactive attitude towards planners & developers, not only objecting to plans contrary to local interest but also suggesting ideas. -Produce a leaflet to inform neighbours of the Regeneration scheme, to gather ideas from them about what they want for Levenshulme and pass them on to the Chief Planning Officer for Levenshulme or the Chief Officer for the regeneration team in the form of a petition.

c) Name of speaker or valid representative of the associations to allow fluid communication between the council and the neighbours in the area. We need to join forces with as many existing local associations (residents, traders..) as possible and new to be created in the future. To request support from: -neighbours -local traders -politicians -developers To widen the appeal and the strength of the pressure we need to target specific groups that have been dormant or reluctant to participate up to now: youth, ethnic minorities, antiques traders).

4. Action:

Awareness event on 10th March previous to the meeting of the Regeneration team on 14th March to show support from neighbours for the petition.

Presentation of signed petition to the leader of the regeneration scheme.

To organise this event, we need:

· To produce a leaflet to request support from neighbours. We count on financial help from the traders association. (Meeting on Monday 19th 7pm) Some ideas for the contents:

• Did you know there was a regeneration scheme
• No more development without local participation
• Who’s looking after Levenshulme
• We want to participate / be asked

- Press release & slogan to be prepared: short, catchy & compelling (Meeting on 19th) · To contact media to maximise impact: TV, newspapers and radio.

· Awareness activities throughout Levenshulme from now on culminating on 10th March with our awareness event: distribution of leaflets, printing of bigger versions for shop windows, banners, table with pictures, request of signatures (Meeting on 19th)

· Visual picture to attract media interest


“Representatives from the associations will be meeting again on 19th of February 7pm at Sanderson & James, 902 Stockport Rd”