Gants Hill Community Hub
Welcome to the Gants Hill Community Hub engagement site. The Hub will serve residents from across the Gants Hill area, including the wards of Barkingside, Clayhall, Cranbrook, Fullwell, Valentines and Aldborough.
Gants Hill Community Hub will be a new building that contains services and space for the local community at Gants Hill Library, 490 Cranbrook Road. Plans are being developed through co-design with local residents, and alongside this we are working with the community to identify priorities for the Hub and wider area.
Residents' input has shaped the feasibility study and design principles for the site, and in the next phase designs for Gants Hill Hub itself, how it should look and feel and which services and facilities should be offered.
Please explore the site and FAQs, register for updates and find out about different ways to get involved here. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please email us on hubs@redbridge.gov.uk.
Welcome to the Gants Hill Community Hub engagement site. The Hub will serve residents from across the Gants Hill area, including the wards of Barkingside, Clayhall, Cranbrook, Fullwell, Valentines and Aldborough.
Gants Hill Community Hub will be a new building that contains services and space for the local community at Gants Hill Library, 490 Cranbrook Road. Plans are being developed through co-design with local residents, and alongside this we are working with the community to identify priorities for the Hub and wider area.
Residents' input has shaped the feasibility study and design principles for the site, and in the next phase designs for Gants Hill Hub itself, how it should look and feel and which services and facilities should be offered.
Please explore the site and FAQs, register for updates and find out about different ways to get involved here. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please email us on hubs@redbridge.gov.uk.
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Litter Free Gants Hill
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkLet’s Keep Our Streets Clean
Join our campaign to keep Gants Hill litter-free. We believe it is all of our responsibility to keep Gants Hill tidy and to ensure our children grow up in the safe and clean environment that we all deserve.
Our first step is creating a poster campaign with children from Gearies Primary School, which you will see in windows of businesses in Gants Hill roundabout.
The campaign is being led by a Working Group of residents, Redbridge Council, Vision and Redbridge Village. If you would like to be part of the solution, we would love you to join our Working Group. If you are interested email local resident Herbert who is leading the campaign herbert.sfl@gmail.com or hubs@redbridge.gov.uk.
What can you do?
- Join our Working Group to connect with others and create solutions by contacting herbert.sfl@gmail.com or hubs@redbridge.gov.uk.
- Click here to report litter on your street
- Click here to find out about work the council is already doing to tackle litter
- Read more about our findings of the research here
Background
In 2021, residents took part in a co-designed Community Research Project in partnership with Redbridge Council, University College London (UCL) and Mutual Gain. Residents led a survey reaching 120 people to learn about how people felt about litter locally.
What did people tell us?
- litter is ‘disgusting’, ‘dirty’ and ‘unnecessary’;
- some residents avoid areas of Gants Hill because of the amount of litter and are embarrassed to invite people to their homes.
- 45% of residents believe that individual behaviour is the main cause of litter, but 60% of residents looked to the council to solve the litter crisis.
We believe it is everyone has a part to play to keep Gants Hill litter-free.
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Getting involved in Gants Hill Hub!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkHere are five ways to get involved to shape the Gants Hill Community Hub.
1. Tell us about your Gants Hill
Which places and spaces are important to you, and why? Which parts of Gants Hill do you want to improve? You can add pins to this map of Gants Hill (and see what others think as well), and suggest or vote on ideas for community projects you'd like to make happen.
2. Feed back on design principles for the Gants Hill Hub site
So far, over 900 residents and nearly 50 organisations have fed into the Gants Hill Hub design process, including the development of design principles which will shape future plans. To feed back on the design principles, please complete this survey.
3. Be part of our Listening Campaign
We are running a 'listening campaign', meeting with residents, local groups and organisations to explore local views on the area's strengths, needs and priorities. Your views will help to build a picture of Gants Hill and the strategic brief for the Hub.
4. Join the Community Research ProjectIf you are interested in having a chat, complete the poll on the right-hand side of the homepage or click here.
Since June 2021, the Council has been working with residents, University College London (UCL) and Mutual Gain to conduct research about Gants Hill from a community perspective (here's more information about the launch, research activity and findings), with three Working Groups currently focusing on:
- Championing shared spaces across the area
- Tackling litter in Gants Hill
- Improving support for residents with English as a second language
Stay in touch! We send out regular updates to the Gants Hill Hub email list, so make sure you've signed up for updates (you can check your preferences in your profile).
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Community Research Project Update
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThank you to everyone who attended the Gants Hill Community Research Hackathon Weekend on the 27th and 28th November. 25 residents joined us over the two days to analyse the data and propose next steps. They were invigorating days and we covered a lot of ground.
On Saturday, we took a deep dive into the data to understand the research and creating priority statements.
On Sunday, we used the priority statements to identify what actions we could take from this.
You can find the research results, including surveys, interviews, observations, photographs and maps that we were analysing.
We are now conducting a survey to decide which priorities and actions we want to focus on. Everyone is welcome to take part. Closing date is Thursday 23rd December.
For enquiries about getting involved in the Gants Hill Community Research Project, please email imran.mir@redbridge.gov.uk.
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Community Research Project get-together!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkFollowing the past three months of research carried out by Community Research Project volunteers, we are holding two in-person, Covid-secure, weekend session to invite residents to analyse the findings from the project, and plan our next steps.
If you're interested in the Gants Hill area or passionate about your local community, it would be brilliant to have you with us on one or both of these days. They're designed so you can join for the whole time, or just drop in for an hour or two.
We'll be looking at the data, photographs, maps and more which have been collated, kicking off at 12pm on Saturday 27th November at Gants Hill Library. There will be a follow-up session on Sunday 28th November at the same times .
If you'd like to come along, please register here so we can ensure that everyone is catered for, and we will send out further details in due course: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gants-hill-community-research-project-data-hack-weekend-tickets-209997447017
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Gants Hill Community Research Project
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkVolunteer community researchers have designed a research project focusing on the ‘people and place’ of Gants Hill and want to hear residents’ experiences of Gants Hill.
The community-led research project, in partnership with Redbridge Council and University College London (UCL), will see volunteer explore three areas to explore the local community. These are:
- Community cohesion: To understand the diversity of Gants Hill
- Environment: To understand the impact that litter has on mental health and experiment with different approaches to reduce littering.
- Activities and Spaces: To understand the spaces we currently use to share and learn together, and what activities are available or missing in Gants Hill
Click here to complete the survey. You will have options to choose which questions you would like to answer.
If you have been approached to be photographed or filmed, click here to complete the photo consent form in order to take part.
Volunteers will be hosting an event to share their findings back to the community later this year. The findings will be used to shape activities in the local area, including the future Gants Hill Hub. Sign up here to receive more information and keep in touch with the project.
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Launching Gants Hill Community Research Project
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkEastern Avenue c. 1956.
Photo credit: www.gants-hill.comDo you live, work or study in Gants Hill or have an interest in the area? Volunteer researchers are being invited by Redbridge Council and University College London (UCL) to learn more about Gants Hill, building on recommendations from local residents to explore the themes of ‘people and place’ across the area.No previous experience is needed, just a desire to find out more and learn about the area. Volunteers will receive support from Redbridge and UCL to take part. The opportunity is open for community members in the wards of Aldborough, Barkingside, Clayhall, Cranbrook, Fullwell and Valentines.The results of the community research will play a key part in helping shape activities for the area as part of the early stages of planning for the Gants Hill Hub, building on the resident co-design workshops held last year. The Gants Hill Hub will provide space for residents to run activities, as well as to access council and health services, such as library and GP provision.This six month research project will be made up of different parts, and volunteers can decide which to get involved in. These include co-designing the research and how it will be conducted, as well as carrying out the research with residents and local organisations. Residents will work with Redbridge Council and UCL, with the opportunity for volunteers to present back the findings to the community.If you’d like volunteer for the community research project, please click here to find out more and sign up by Sunday 6th June. If you don't already have a Let's Talk Redbridge account, you'll be able to register in order to access the form.If you would like to find out more, please watch a recording of the Information Session. Alternatively, you can click here to view the presentation or read the questions and answers from the session.
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Gants Hill Hub Design Group Update 3
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe Gants Hill Hub Design Group has completed the first stage of the co-design process and developed ten ‘design principles’ for the Gants Hill Hub site.
The group is made up of 40 local residents of different ages, backgrounds and perspectives, and representatives from charity, health, business, political groups along with RCKa architects and Redbridge Council.
Residents were encouraged to use their networks to feed in wider views, which enabled more than 250 local people to contribute their views. In addition, Redbridge Council held a public webinar so people could hear about the emerging design principles and feedback during the session and via a survey.
Local residents helped appoint architects early in 2020, and the Design Group then developed ten ‘design principles’ for the Gants Hill Hub site, situated on Cranbrook Road, through five in-depth online workshops. The group identified green spaces, safety and services as the most important principles for the site. They agreed the top priority should be that green space is preserved, expanded or spread across the site.
The group also agreed how proposals for a number of factors should be approached. These included how library services should be retained and that sustainability should be highlighted as a key priority. The group felt car parking should be deprioritised, in particular for out of borough commuters.
Feedback from the group showed 85% agreed the co-design process improved the project brief, with 94% feeling they’d been given an opportunity to express their views.
Gants Hill resident Manoj Vaidya said: “I got involved in the co-design process as I wanted to shape what was created in my local area. Once it’s open, there will be a sense of pride that we helped design an important part of our community.”
The result of the workshops has been drawn together in a report for the Gants Hill Hub site, which includes an overview of the design principles developed, a capacity study of the site and lessons from the co-design process. The report and the design principles will be built on in the next phase of the process and will shape how the scheme is developed.
Image: co-design illustration credit to RCKa architects
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Gants Hill Hub Design Group update 2
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe Gants Hill Hub Design Group is a group of 40 local residents, brought together through an independent selection process, and representative of the population's age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability and ward.
The group is working with RCKa architects, the council and representatives from business, charitable and political groups, to develop a concept design for the Gants Hill site, including the future of Gants Hill Library. The group is meeting five times across September, October and November, with updates on progress and opportunities to feed back provided to the wider public.
In the fourth workshop, the group discussed and reviewed a set of 'design principles' which had been developed through the process. The 'design principles' form part of the final report from RCKa architects which will shape the architectural plans for Gants Hill Hub, when the project is taken to its next stage in the new year.
The wider public has been invited to hear about the process to date, the design principles and the next steps for the project by attending a public webinar on Thursday 29th October at 5.30pm. Free tickets can be obtained via the widget on the right hand side of the Gants Hill Hub site you are on or by visiting Eventbrite.
The design principles can be seen below, or you can access the full Session 4 document here.
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Gants Hill Hub Design Group update 1
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe Gants Hill Hub Design Group is a group of 40 local residents, brought together through an independent selection process, and representative of the population's age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability and ward.
The group is working with RCKa architects, the council and representatives from business, charitable and political groups, to develop a concept design for the Gants Hill site, including the future of Gants Hill Library. The group is meeting five times across September, October and November, with updates on progress and opportunities to feed back provided to the wider public.
In the first workshop, the focus was on the unique identity of the Gants Hill area. Residents discussed what was special about their neighbourhoods, and spoke to their networks to develop a picture of the area's identity. (If you would like to contribute you stories or thoughts about the Gants Hill area, please click here.)
In the second workshop, RCKa architects presented information about the Gants Hill Hub site, including the policy context, considerations about different elements of the site, and information about council and health services, and activities which could be run from the new hub. (You can view the presentation below, but if it is not appearing trying clicking here.)
The presentation provided a basis for further discussion about what residents most value about the site, and which elements should be prioritised, strengthened, changed or reduced. Residents also discussed which services were most and least important, and what activities would bring the community together.
In the third workshop, the group participated in a snap poll to assess how different parts of the site might be approached, and RCKa architects shared a number of hypothetical examples of how the scheme on the Gants Hill Hub site could look, for feedback. (You can view the presentation below, but if it is not appearing trying clicking here.)
An opportunity to respond to these questions will be added to this site shortly. All discussions and views, as well as those of the wider public, will be fed into the development of the concept design and feasibility study, and be shared publicly at the end of this piece of work, in late October or November.
If you want to find out more about the Gants Hill Hub approach, timeline or background information, please look at the Documents, Timeline and FAQs sidebars on the main Gants Hill Hub page.
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Gants Hill Hub videos
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Click here to play video Gants Hill Community Research Project Volunteer Photos Over the Summer of 2021 some the Gants Hill Community Researchers went out to capture pictures of the area related to their theme of either Community Cohesion, the Environment and Shared Spaces & Activities. Music:Winter Time, Musician:Isobelle Walton, Album:Isobelle Walton, Source:https://www.vcg.com/
Documents
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Community Engagement Documents
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Preliminary Engagement Report September 2019 (1.24 MB) (pdf)
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Gants Hill Residents Update Letter (August 2020) (714 KB) (pdf)
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Gants Hill Design Group Invite Letter (August 2020) (220 KB) (pdf)
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Gants Hill Hub Design Group Terms of Reference (March 2020)
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Gants Hill Design Group FAQs (August 2020) (127 KB) (pdf)
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GHHDG Session 2 - Site + Services (3.18 MB) (pdf)
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GHHDG Session 4 - Design Principles (2.56 MB) (pdf)
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GHHDG Public Webinar Design Principles (141 KB) (pdf)
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GHHDG Session 5 Updated Design Principles (208 KB) (pdf)
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Gants Hill Community Research Project
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Litter Research Findings (5.46 MB) (pdf)
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Gants Hill Community Research Information Session Presentation (1.99 MB) (pdf)
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Community Research Project FAQs (37.7 KB) (pdf)
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Gants Hill Community Research Project Survey Results, 2021 (718 KB) (pdf)
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Gants Hill Community Research Project Fly Tipping Map.png (19.6 MB) (png)
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Working Groups Information Session (3.55 MB) (pptx)
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Gants Hill Community Research Project - Interviews and Observations.pdf (338 KB) (pdf)
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Working Groups Information Session (2.04 MB) (pdf)
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Meetings & Events
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Gants Hill Stage 1 Presentation Slides (July & August 2019 workshops)
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Gants Hill Feedback Session Slides (September 2019)
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Meet the Architects Session Slides (December 2019)
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Meet the Architects/Co-Design Meeting Notes (December 2019)
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Gants Hill Hub Community Stakeholders Meeting Slides (February 2020)
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Gants Hill Hub Community Stakeholders Meeting Notes (February 2020)
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Key Reference Documents
Timeline
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Preliminary community engagement
Gants Hill Community Hub has finished this stageEarly community engagement to identify which activities and services local residents want in Gants Hill Community Hub.
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Appointment of architects to carry out Stage 1 feasibility study
Gants Hill Community Hub has finished this stageAppointment of RCKa Architects through a joint resident and officer interview panel.
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Gants Hill Hub Design Group co-design process
Gants Hill Community Hub has finished this stageLed by RCKa architects, around 40 residents independently selected to be reflective of the local community, worked with local representatives to develop 'design principles' to shape future plans for the Hub and site.
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Gants Hill Hub Stage 1 Report completion
Gants Hill Community Hub has finished this stageRCKa architects produced a final Stage 1 report developed through co-design with the Gants Hill Hub Design Group.
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Launch of Gants Hill Community Research Project
Gants Hill Community Hub has finished this stageA research project in partnership between residents, UCL and Redbridge Council was launched to explore the Gants Hill area and identify priorities for the Gants Hill Hub.
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Gants Hill Hub Stage 1 report approved by Cabinet
Gants Hill Community Hub has finished this stageRedbridge Council Cabinet approved the Stage 1 report developed by RCKA, residents and advisors, giving a green light to appoint a design team for the scheme.
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Development of Gants Hill Hub scheme tender package
Gants Hill Community Hub is currently at this stageThe council to develop a tender package for the scheme, based on the Stage 1 report.
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Appointment of design team
this is an upcoming stage for Gants Hill Community HubCouncil to work with residents to appoint a design team for the Gants Hill Hub scheme.
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Design team to develop scheme and Hub plans
this is an upcoming stage for Gants Hill Community HubWorking with residents, partners and key stakeholders, appointed design team to develop site proposals for submission to planning.
FAQs
- Introduction to FAQs
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Gants Hill Hub offer
- Who can use the hub?
- Will the new hub have any community space that people can rent for events?
- Will there be any space for local businesses?
- Are you closing Gants Hill library down?
- Will there be a new library of the same size and offering the same services in Gants Hill?
- What will happen to the library during construction?
- Will there be a GP surgery?
- Will the proposed space for local police teams be a contact point for the public too?
- How much will this hub cost and how will it be paid for?
- When will you submit a planning application?
- How long will construction last?
- Can we have impact assessments?
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The Gants Hill site
- What has been decided about the Gants Hill Hub site?
- Why has the Council chosen the Gants Hill Library site for a Community Hub?
- Which other potential sites were identified and explored, and to what degree?
- Does the Council own the Gants Hill library site and car park?
- Why not just leave Gants Hill Library alone? Are there any problems with it right now?
- Will you keep the existing library building?
- Is the existing building listed – if so, what is its status?
- Will Redbridge Institute of Adult Education at Gaysham Avenue close?
- Will there be a reduction in car parking spaces in the car park
- How many new homes are you proposing?
- What type of housing are you proposing?
- Is there enough capacity in local services to accommodate more homes?
- Will the current play area at Martley Park be in the scope of design?
Who's Listening
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Gants Hill Community Organiser
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Gants Hill Community Organiser
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Community Hubs Programme Director