URBACT Impact on Local Policies: Social Urban Renewal of the Pongrac Housing in Köbanya

The Municipality of Köbanya considers the revitalization and urban renewal of the run-down housing areas and the improvement of the quality of life of people living in these areas as one of the most important priorities of the municipality. Thus the city became partner in URBACT RegGov project and produced within this framework an URBACT Local Action Plan for the  Pongrac housing estate. This work is already paying off. Based on the approved Local Action Plan, the Municipality of Köbanya submitted a project proposal for a social urban renewal programme of the Pongrac housing estate in May 2010 to receive funding from the Central Hungarian Region Operational Programme.

The first phase of the project proposal evaluation was completed in August 2010. The Managing Authority of the Regional Development Programmes has supported the project proposal, and decided to fund almost 80% of the project if all the necessary requirements are fulfilled by the Municipality of Köbanya. The final decision will be made when the second phase of the project proposal evaluation is finished early next year.

The Central Hungarian Region Operational Programme’s social urban renewal competition called for project proposals in this field, thus providing a unique opportunity for social urban renewal programmes. The goal of the call for project proposals is to stop the negative spiral of degradation of deprived urban neighbourhoods with a high degree of socially and economically disadvantaged population. The projects are supposed to stop further degradation of the neighbourhood and improve both the quality of the built environment and quality of life of people living in the neighbourhood. By means of social ‘soft’ programmes, the projects have to bring new opportunities for the people: provide vocational training and assist them re-entering the employment market, help the elderly and the disadvantaged youth, bringing the neighbourhood together and fostering the community spirit by providing programmes, street festivals etc.

The Pongrac urban renewal project proposal is a rather complex and elaborated series of projects, with a considerable support from the locals living in the Pongrac housing estate. It consists of several elements:

1. Strengthening the residential function of the neighbourhood and renovation of the housing Stock. The common parts of the houses will be renovated: the roofs, the corridors, the pipeline, the electricity network etc.

2. Strengthening the urban function of the neighbourhood ad revitalization of the public areas. Residents will be involved by public participation in the design of:

• open space layout – neighbourhood agora
• playgrounds
• small gardens between the buildings
• recreational facilities

3. Strengthening the economic and public service functions of the neighbourhood, renovation and renewal of social welfare and cultural facilities A kindergarten and day-care centre complex will undergo major renovation, and a small new cultural centre will be created in an existing building, which will provide a venue for most of the soft program elements.

4. Social 'soft' programs, trainings, events So-called "soft programme" elements

The project will be implemented in close partnership with all stakeholders:

• Municipality of Köbanya – Lead Partner of the project consortium
• Local residents – Representatives of the 20  housing associations
• Local secondary school
• KŐKERT – municipal company responsible for street and park maintenance
• Köbanya district police-station
• Köbanya Childcare Centre – municipal company responsible for the well being of children
• Köbanya Family Support Service – municipal company responsible for the supporting families in need
• Local entrepreneurs
• Urban development division of the municipal property maintenance company – recently created in order to take care of the project management.

Read more:

• Download 5th_RegGov_Newsletter.pdf (1.85 MB) - September 2010 - PDF
• RegGov - URBACT website
• RegGov & Local Support Groups: Participation processes in integrated neighbourhood development - URBACT website