Open House

• 05/06/2009

A Sunderland regeneration programme is giving local residents a behind the scenes view of its improvement works with a series of open days at one of its refurbished properties.

Back on the Map, the organisation running the £54 million New Deal for Communities regeneration of Hendon and the East End of Sunderland, is nearing completion of its first batch of renovated homes. The open week will give local people the chance to look round one of the first homes to be completed, at 11 Cairo Street in the Long Streets area of Hendon.

The properties have all been refurbished to a high standard and will be available for rent, and anyone who is interested in applying for one of the properties will be able to find out more at the open events.

Visitors are welcome to call in at 11 Cairo Street, Hendon, on:
Monday 8 June to Thursday 11 June from 10.30am to 1.30pm and 4.30pm to 6.30 pm and Friday 12 June from 10.30am to 1.30pm

The property is unfurnished and visitors will see it ready for the first tenants to move in.



The property is a traditional Sunderland cottage with two bedrooms. Refurbishments include new floors, replastered walls, new internal walls, a new heating system, electrical rewiring, a new kitchen and new bathroom. Along with all the other properties being refurbished by Back on the Map, the house also benefits from green energy measures to improve efficiency and reduce heating costs. The homes have all been redecorated and carpeted and have had improvements to security.

Hazel Clark, Back on the Map's chair of housing and environment, said: "By purchasing property in the East End and Hendon we are buying a serious stake in the neighbourhood and are putting our money where our mouth is.

"These investments are the foundation blocks in helping to raise housing standards and will build a legacy for the long term future of the community."

Stephen Croft, housing and development manager at Back on the Map said: "These properties have been improved and renovated to a high standard for rental and we hope that it will give a number of families the opportunity to access good quality rented homes in our area.

"Our Neighbourhood Renewal Assessment of the middle Hendon area showed that some of the housing stock was in need of an uplift and this project has helped us to begin to achieve that. People will see further work in the area in the coming months with facelift work starting in several streets as part of another major housing project funded by Back on the Map."

All of Back on the Map's properties will be available to rent through a local agent. Further information will be available at the open days.