RESIDENTS on the new Ramshill and Treloars estates in Petersfield and Alton are to get their own ÒnannyÓ to help them settle in Ð part funded by public money.
A community development worker will be employed on the estates, where house prices currently start at £172,000 and rise to £400,000, to hand out welcome packs, organise coffee mornings and show new residents where the shops are.
The idea is the brainchild of East Hampshire District Council in partnership with housing associations and home builders on the sites.
And the £100,000 three-year project will be funded by the partnership and a £50,000 Òcommunity training and enablingÓ grant from the housing corporation.
The new post was announced in the same week that leader of the council, Elizabeth Cartwright, painted a bleak picture of homelessness in the area.
She told councillors that more and more families were being placed in bed and breakfasts because of a massive shortage in affordable housing in the area.
Commenting on the new project she said: ÒI am delighted that the government has given this funding and therefore recognised the difference which a community support worker can make in a large new estate. This support helps the new families settle into their new environment, and set up new community networks and facilities from which all residents can benefit.Ó
According to Drum Housing Association, the new community development worker will Òseek to empower residentsÓ on the two estates where house prices currently start at £172,000 for a two-bedroom home.
Four-bedroom detached properties at Treloars will set prospective buyers back £400,000 and similar homes are planned for the 276-home Ramshill estate.
Thirty per cent of homes on both estates will be designated as affordable housing.
A spokeswoman for Drum Housing said: ÒBoth new developments will have lots of different types of people on them. They are quite big developments and people will be perceived as new to the area.Ó
She added the community development worker would be Òliaising with all outside agencies, dentists, doctors, shops etc, trying to make the transition as smooth as possible.Ó
She added: ÒWe are hoping that a lot of the things will be brand new innovations to get people empowered and involved.Ó
EHDC confirmed that the broad aim of the project was to Òprepare the residents for independenceÓ.
Head of housing, Julia Potter, said: ÒBoth sites are major developments in terms of this area, especially Ramshill.
ÒIt is all about building a community.Ó
She added that the worker would identify training and educational opportunities for residents, hand out welcome packs and help set up community schemes such as play groups.
But PetersfieldÕs Town Mayor, George Watkinson, was not entirely convinced by the project.
He said: ÒIt sounds like a wonderful idea, however, I do debate the spending of
this huge sum of money on a tiny little area. What do all the other people who move into the area do? They talk to their neighbours.Ó
He added: ÒI am surprised they can find the money to do this when there are so many other things in need regarding housing, especially for the less well off. I shall watch this scheme with interest.Ó