Changing the face of Hendon.

WORK continues to progress on a multi-million pound regeneration project that is changing the face of Hendon and the East End of Sunderland.

Back on the Map, the New Deal for Communities regeneration programme for the Hendon and East End areas of Sunderland, is investing pounds 5m in improving homes in the middle Hendon area. The project, called 'Transforming Hendon', began earlier this year and will run until 2011.

Community regeneration specialist Frank Haslam Milan (FHM) North East was appointed as the contractor to work in partnership with Back on the Map in what is their largest single project to date - making external improvements to more than 450 properties in middle Hendon. The project will give a facelift to a number of streets by improving the fronts of properties and enhancing the general appearances of streets in the area.

Each property has been assessed to determine the current condition of the building and what needs to be done to bring it up to date and provide a high-quality finish.

The work will include repairing or renewing windows, doors, walls, roofs, gutters, chimney stacks, street signs, fences and gates.

FHM is an expert in breathing life into communities, as shown by their already impressive and successful track record across the North East. The Wearside-based firm has already completed similar community regeneration schemes with Your Homes Newcastle.

Transforming Hendon will take up to two years to revamp 13 streets but after only a few months into the programme, local residents are already delighted with the progress that has been achieved so far.

FHM''s resident liaison officer Victoria Carr is responsible for engaging with local residents and keeping them up to date with progress. She said: We are pleased with the feedback so far. Homeowners in the scheme are delighted with it. As the improvements are part of a scheme that transforms streets rather than just individual properties, property owners have nothing to pay. And those who weren''t keen at first have soon changed their minds and want their home to match their neighbours.

The project is making good progress with a lot of work already completed in Peel Street, Salem Hill, Mowbray Road and the top end of Gray Road. FHM and Back on the Map are engaging with local residents to make sure that everyone in the area who can benefit is signed up for the scheme and is helping to change the face of the area.

David Mellor, managing director of FHM North East, said: We are delighted to be working with Back on the Map and the Transforming Hendon project. The external improvements programme will help to transform this local community and the impact that it will have will hopefully encourage homeowners and neighbouring communities that are not involved in this particular programme to carry out their own improvements.

Jen McKevitt, director of operations for Back on the Map, said: Transforming Hendon is one of our most important projects and is the largest physical regeneration scheme we have undertaken.

"It confirms our commitment to making Hendon and the East End of Sunderland a better place to live.

"Transforming Hendon is part of our strategy to improve housing and the environment and complements our wider programme of investment across the area.

We believe the local community deserve the very best and we are delighted at the progress FHM are making.

Back on the Map received pounds 54m from the New Deal for Communities programme in 2001. The ten-year regeneration programme, ending in March 2011, is designed to deliver improvements in housing, the environment, education, employment, health, community empowerment and community safety.

CAPTION(S):

HAVING A SAY Residents of the East End of Sunderland who are involved in the scheme got to decide on their preferences at the re-vite contract signing in June this year.