Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, the Earl and Countess of Forfar, visited Forfar yesterday.
On a fine sunny day, they were received by HM Lord-Lieutenant of Angus Georgiana Osborne, Angus Provost Ronnie Proctor and our Chief Executive Margo Williamson.
During their visit, their Royal Highnesses walked in the town centre and visited Academy Court to meet with the residents there.
Our tenant representatives recently visited Academy Court in Forfar to find out how the residents like their new homes and if they had any ideas, issues or concerns.
It was a busy, informative and successful event with Academy Court tenants deciding they would like to form their own tenants group to have a voice and also get involved in their community. Some of the tenants also signed up to the Tenants E-Panel.
One of the tenants signed up as a volunteer to look after the community garden at Montrose Road centre and support participants. The group was buzzing with ideas and enjoyed the opportunity to share these and build relationships with their neighbours.
If other tenants would like to form a tenant group in their own area, please contact us at tenantparticipation@angus.gov.uk or call us on ACCESS Line 03452 777778
We’re pleased to announce another success for our Academy Court project. Last Tuesday the project won the 2019 Angus Design award for Best restoration/conversion.
The Angus Design Awards ceremony, took place at Hospitalfield House in Arbroath, on 23 April 2019. It attracted various outstanding entries from across the Angus area.
For more details about the winners see Angus Council News.
We’re pleased to report on more success for our Academy Court project. Last night the project (under its former name of Chapelpark) won the
It was chosen from 17 other projects at a celebratory dinner on the 6 December 2018 in the Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow by Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Communities, Aileen Campbell MSP.
The judges said that as well as showing a great regeneration rationale in the community, what made the project stand out above the others was our team mentality and multi-discipline co-ordination.
John Morrow, Service Leader – Housing, and Catherine Johnson, Housing Strategy Manager are pictured with the award at the ceremony.
Find out more about the project on page 10 of the Awards Publication 2018.
SURF is the Scottish Regeneration Forum which aims to promote and recognise work to regenerate communities nationally.
Our acclaimed affordable housing development at Academy Court in Forfar picked up its first award last night at the Dundee Institute of Architects annual recognition of the best new architecture and design in Tayside. The renewal of the old school buildings into fresh and vibrant new Council homes for rent was voted best group housing project.
The scheme has also been short listed for a number of other awards. Perhaps more importantly though, the new homes have been given huge approval by the community for whom the buildings play such an important role in the social fabric of Forfar.
See our previous post for other awards which could come Academy Court’s way.
The Academy Court housing development was opened in July this year and has already been entered and shortlisted for various awards:
MJ Awards – the project was commended in the Best Social Housing Initiative category
Inside Housing Development Awards –the development is one of the finalists in the Best affordable housing development (26 -70 homes) category
The Inside Housing Development Awards are an opportunity for landlords, developers and architects to enter their best developments and teams to be recognised in the UK.
An expert panel of judges has short listed entries across 14 categories for 2018 and will subsequently meet to discuss and decide the eventual winners, which will be revealed on Thursday 29 November.
SURF Awards – shortlisted
The purpose of the SURF Awards is:
Dundee Institute of Architects – shortlisted in the Best Group Housing and Regeneration Category.
Judges visited the site on Wednesday 10 October and winners will be announced on 15 November 2018.
Angus Design Awards – Awards and commendations will be announced spring 2019. Submissions are invited for completed developments that have had a positive impact within the local area.
Our Academy Court project has been commended in the Best Social Housing Initiative category in the MJ Achievement Awards announced at a national event in London.
The Awards have been held every year since 2004, rewarding many officers, managers teams and councils. The MJ Awards ceremony is one of the major events within the public sector calendar.
The MJ is an intelligence and news resource for anyone who needs to know about UK local authorities.
The Scottish Government Minister for local government, housing and planning, Kevin Stewart visited the former Chapelpark School, now transformed into modern council houses, and now known as Academy Court.
The minister met with Academy Court tenants, elected members and officers who gave a tour of the redeveloped B-listed buildings.
Housing spokesperson Cllr Craig Fotheringham said:
I am delighted to host this visit to the new Academy Court so that the Minister can see the transformation first-hand. There has been a fantastic response to these new homes, with over 700 people coming along to the Open Day in July. These are modern homes with a number of innovative and exciting technologies, which, coupled with the history of the buildings, have made these homes attractive to our tenants. I’m positive that this enthusiasm will be retained and future generations will also be proud to call Academy Court ‘home’.
More than 700 people came along to see the new Academy Court properties at Saturday’s Open Day in the former Chapelpark school buildings.
Many people came along because it was their old school, both former pupils and teachers alike.
The fine weather added to the enjoyment of the people who attended, who spoke with Housing staff about the new properties and shared their own personal memories of the old school.
We welcome the new tenants to the development and wish them well in their new homes.
We thank the people of Forfar for joining us for this event and for their interest in our work.
Scroll down for more photos from Saturday’s event.
Come along and see the transformation of the former Chapelpark buildings and grounds.
Academy Court in Forfar now provides the latest and most modern Council houses that people can be proud to call home.
An Open Day is being held at Academy Court (formerly Chapelpark School)
Academy Street, Forfar
on Saturday 14 July
from 10am – 2pm.
The event will give the public, former pupils and staff , a chance to see the new development before tenants move in.
Housing spokesperson Cllr Craig Fotheringham said:
I’m delighted to see the completion of these new housing options for tenants. They are truly modern homes, with their innovative heating and energy efficiency features. Their design and construction ensures that the character of the original buildings has been retained for future generations to enjoy.
Cllr Lois Speed, housing spokesperson, said:
This development provides much needed housing for a range of household sizes and types, including new options for households with disabilities. Its central location, close to essential amenities, will be great for our tenants. The design and construction methods used are also sympathetic to the environment as we try to reduce our carbon footprint.
For more details see our news page
Angus Council Housing News 