Oakridge Shopping Centre
Oakridge is now a village-style development of homes and community amenities, built to replace a 1960s estate. Designed by HTA Architects.
This is the old view of Oakridge Tower seen from the shopping centre that was there before the Oakridge regeneration.
All this, except for the tower block, has gone now. In 1997, a group called the Oakridge Central Regeneration group was set up with the intention of having the estate redeveloped. HTA Architects were appointed and planning permission was granted in 2000. The project saw the demolition of 146 maisonettes, retail units, community centre & church, and the construction of 293 homes, new retail units, community centre and church on the new high street. 138 homes were be for outright sale and are now pepper potted amongst the rented units. The redevelopment was built in phases: Phase 1 consisted of mostly terraced housing,
Phase 2 consisted of three-storey apartments and Phase 3 was built by a different contractor. 149 homes were replaced with 299, increasing the density of the area, but also green space. Although the regeneration was probably an improvement it must have caused a lot of upheaval and disruption to many people's lives.
As part of the original planning, Oakridge Tower, was planned for demolition. After local pressure, it has been retained. It is now managed by Sentinel Housing Association Ltd. Who provide 48 2 bedroom flats with support. The tower includes mobility standard properties non-resident management staff and community alarm service, Lift, lounge, dining room, laundry, garden, hairdressing salon and assisted bathing facility. The whole site is accessible by wheelchair. Access to site easy, but less so for less mobile people. Distances: bus stop 100 yards; shop 100 yards; post office 100 yards; town centre 1 mile(s); GP 0.75 mile(s). Regular social activities include Coffee morning on Tuesday, Age Concern on Wednesday, Bingo Thursday afternoon & Friday night, and lunch club last Thursday of the month, organised by Residents social committee, and Age Concern. New residents are accepted from 55 years of age.
The motorcycle in the foreground is a Honda PA50 moped produced by Honda Benelux between 1976 and 1991. It was marketed as the Honda Hobbit in the US and as the Honda Camino in the UK and Europe. The vehicle itself was manufactured in a factory in Aalst, Belgium, until 1991. Though it has mostly disappeared from the streets of the US and the UK like most mopeds of similar type (e.g. Motobecane, Mobylette, and Puch Maxi), it remains very popular in Belgium, where it is often modified using high performance parts.
webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20110118131105/h...
Oakridge Shopping Centre
Oakridge is now a village-style development of homes and community amenities, built to replace a 1960s estate. Designed by HTA Architects.
This is the old view of Oakridge Tower seen from the shopping centre that was there before the Oakridge regeneration.
All this, except for the tower block, has gone now. In 1997, a group called the Oakridge Central Regeneration group was set up with the intention of having the estate redeveloped. HTA Architects were appointed and planning permission was granted in 2000. The project saw the demolition of 146 maisonettes, retail units, community centre & church, and the construction of 293 homes, new retail units, community centre and church on the new high street. 138 homes were be for outright sale and are now pepper potted amongst the rented units. The redevelopment was built in phases: Phase 1 consisted of mostly terraced housing,
Phase 2 consisted of three-storey apartments and Phase 3 was built by a different contractor. 149 homes were replaced with 299, increasing the density of the area, but also green space. Although the regeneration was probably an improvement it must have caused a lot of upheaval and disruption to many people's lives.
As part of the original planning, Oakridge Tower, was planned for demolition. After local pressure, it has been retained. It is now managed by Sentinel Housing Association Ltd. Who provide 48 2 bedroom flats with support. The tower includes mobility standard properties non-resident management staff and community alarm service, Lift, lounge, dining room, laundry, garden, hairdressing salon and assisted bathing facility. The whole site is accessible by wheelchair. Access to site easy, but less so for less mobile people. Distances: bus stop 100 yards; shop 100 yards; post office 100 yards; town centre 1 mile(s); GP 0.75 mile(s). Regular social activities include Coffee morning on Tuesday, Age Concern on Wednesday, Bingo Thursday afternoon & Friday night, and lunch club last Thursday of the month, organised by Residents social committee, and Age Concern. New residents are accepted from 55 years of age.
The motorcycle in the foreground is a Honda PA50 moped produced by Honda Benelux between 1976 and 1991. It was marketed as the Honda Hobbit in the US and as the Honda Camino in the UK and Europe. The vehicle itself was manufactured in a factory in Aalst, Belgium, until 1991. Though it has mostly disappeared from the streets of the US and the UK like most mopeds of similar type (e.g. Motobecane, Mobylette, and Puch Maxi), it remains very popular in Belgium, where it is often modified using high performance parts.
webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20110118131105/h...