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8th PEER REVIEW SESSION IN GELSENKIRCHEN 20-22 NOVEMBER 2013

Edited on

06 February 2015
Read time: 1 minute
Environment
Inclusion

Topics

Poverty
Priority Neighbourhoods
Urban Renewal
Gelsenkirchen
Germany

The Peer Review Session was held in the target area for RE-Block, in Tossehof, a housing estate of about 1,350 flats, built from 1970 to 1975. It represented the latest development ideas of the time and high technical requirements of the construction works as well.  Starting from the early 1980s the estate was losing its attractiveness. Renewal of the estate was carried out in the framework of the government programme “Urban Redevelopment West Germany” from 2004. The key issue for Gelsenkirchen now is to maintain the results of the integrated programme, position the housing estate at the housing market and improve residents’ satisfaction living at Tossehof.

During the site visit participants of the Peer Review visited:

the high-rise buildings in the neighbourhood and some flats in the blocks with special attention to those of the partial demolition (see blue buildings below), refurbished public open spaces, the neighbourhood centre with the supermarket to be re-opened and several social facilities.

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Privately owned housing

Presentations by municipal officials provided a general overview of the urban renewal programme of the city and also the governance structure which can ensure an integrated and participatory approach for both planning and implementation of the renewal programme. Neighbourhood branding, refurbishment of the blocks from energy efficiency point of views, results have achieved and results to be maintained were discussed.

STRENGTHS

 

  •          City level integrated urban renewal strategy
  •          Comprehensive governance structure
  •          Having it refurbished the estate regained its attractiveness
  •          Situated in a green environment (there is a spacious park, allotment gardens and sports facilities  in its close vicinity)
  •          Good social facilities (kindergarten, school, youth and family centre, neighbourhood centre)
  •          Activities carried out by the neighbourhood manager improved social cohesion at the estate
  •          Changes in the neighbourhood contributed to successful branding  of the area
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          Supermarket to be revitalised

    WEAKNESSES

     

    • Privately owned dwellings do not comply with up-to-date energy efficiency standards – causing long term problems of renting
    •          Lack of small shops and meeting places, such as cafés
    •          Some residents groups typical to the neighbourhood (migrants, youth, low income residents) are not interested in community activities
    •          Youth centre at the border of the estate stays outside of community activities in the neighbourhood

     

    Once the Knowledge Ambassadors delegated by partners to the Iasi Peer Review Session learnt about the key issues at the Tossehof area they presented relevant good practices from Malaga (image building/communication), Magdeburg (improve public places linked to the supermarket) Iasi (social inclusion), Rome (long term working with the ULSG), and LE (energy efficient refurbishment, NL as a tool for the ULSG) as ideas to be considered and adapted to the revised LAP of Tossehof.

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    Tossehof Advisory Board/ULSG

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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