Cricket pitch conversation led to career conversion; MY DREAM JOB Richard Medley, director, Rodney Dykes Housing Services.

Byline: By MICHELLE RUSHTON

REGENERATING communities through improved housing is one of the big Liverpool stories of the decade.

It is so important because of the established link between poor housing, poor health, poor educational standards and higher levels of crime.

One man who has devoted his career in housing and helping bring about improvements to people's homes and communities is Richard Medley, a director at RDHS Housing Consulting in Formby.

RDHS is a leading provider of consultancy services to local authorities, housing associations and private sector companies, and it is Richard's role to advise on all aspects of the regeneration and renewal of housing areas.

He explained: "I had always had an interest in land and property, and as I wanted to do a degree that would be practical I opted to study land management at the University of Reading. This ought to have led to a career in commercial property. However, there weren't many jobs available in the early '90s, and it was only thanks to a chance conversation on a cricket pitch that I ended up developing a career in housing."

Richard's first two projects involved consulting with tenants on a proposed transfer of homes from the council to a community based housing association, and undertaking a regeneration study of a former pit village in the North East. Richard developed a taste for the practical challenges of consulting with people on the future for their community, tying these views in with a whole range of housing, environmental and social issues.

He said: "Entering the world of consultancy at the tender age of 21 was certainly a bit daunting, but the best way to learn is by being thrown in at the deep end!"

Richard is currently undertaking 10 Neighbourhood Renewal Assessments across the North and Midlands for a range of local authorities and housing associations. His work involves looking at the condition of the houses in each area, assessing the cost of repairing and improving them to meet modern standards, looking at the condition of the general environment in the area and examining the nature and extent of any social problems.

Residents are encouraged to become actively involved so they can help to shape and influence possible options for action and investment. Sometimes, more radical options such as demolition have to be considered. Demolition can be quite controversial, but where it can be shown to be the key to new opportunities and has widespread support it may be the right solution. In close-knit communities feelings can run high, so the challenge is to keep everyone on board.

Richard revealed: "I feel very fortunate to have a job which offers such a variety of work experiences, which gets me out and about and which brings me into contact with so many people.

"It can be extremely rewarding when you go back to an area a few years later and see the real improvements that have taken place as a result of our work and to see the impact it has had on the quality of people's lives."

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NEGOTIATOR: Richard Medley's job involves consulting with local people over the future of their communities