A 1970s estate with 450 homes, built as a number of linear 3 to 7 story blocks over underground garages, with difficult pedestrian walkways. Problems included high tenant turnover, high maintenance costs, garages sealed off for 20 years, hard to supervise external spaces. An estate action program was agreed from which it was clear substantial extra funding would be required to continue the works program. Proposals for this estate were seen as a significant element in the regeneration of the wider neighborhood of Vassal Ward, and after a cross-subsidy option was stalled after a Council leadership changeover, a pathfinder housing new build PFI project ensued.

This proposal was brought forward to Outline Planning.  The PFI contract was then awarded and the consortium used it, and the associated supplementary planning guidance designed based on it, to develop the final construction scheme.