Pictured: Dharmista Patel

OPUN, the Leicester-based Architecture Centre for the East Midlands, has successfully secured £7,000 to create a vision to support the community in Sneinton. This funding has been awarded by the Design Council CABE's Neighbourhoods Projects Small Grants Scheme.

Over the past few years, Sneinton has seen many different schemes get underway to develop the market and eastpoint areas and to revitalise a number of run down heritage and commercial properties. A larger, £6.8m scheme called Connecting Eastside, is also in the pipeline. This aims to kick start the regeneration of the eastern area of the City of Nottingham. 

The local community has always been active in the many consultations around these proposed schemes, but is keen to have more of a say in how the wider area can be brought together through development programmes. This grant means that OPUN will now work alongside the people of Sneinton via a community group called Sneinton Alchemy, to help them articulate their views on the redesign of their neighbourhood. 

Dharmista Patel, OPUN's Head of Design Support Services said: "It's fantastic news that we've been able to secure this funding. Over the next six months, we will be working closely with the community through Sneinton Alchemy to develop a vision for Sneinton that's driven from the grass roots. People want to have a say in what's happening on their doorstep, and with our involvement, we can make that a reality." 

Dawn Manners, a Director of Sneinton Alchemy, added: "It's becoming harder to secure grants for community led projects so we're delighted that OPUN has secured this investment. This is a step in the right direction, and will make sure local people can be an integral part of the changes that are happening around us." 

Commenting on the outcome of the grant awards schemes, Diane Haigh, Director of Design Council CABE said: "Supporting communities in developing their own vision for their area is vital in ensuring that Britain's new planning system empowers people and is truly accountable." 

OPUN plans to publish the community vision for Sneinton next spring. This is likely to be a visual document that captures local residents' aspirations for the area to bring itself up to date whilst retaining its strong character and heritage.   

OPUN is soon to host the Heritage and Retrofit Conference which will be held in Leicester on 6th October. The event will explore if retaining the best from the past can lead to better design for the future and keynote speakers include David Lock CBE, who was recently the subject of the BBC programme, Restoration Home.