Didsbury Lanes, Manchester
Didsbury Lanes is a small urban district situated about 5 miles from Manchester City Centre. Once part of a slum clearance area this area now houses a diverse and lively community. Recently, prompted by concerns about environmental issues, the condition of the area and increasing petty vandalism the residents began to work together and created a Residents’ Associations to represent the community.
The Association has subsequently engaged with a range of public and private agencies which has resulted in dramatic improvements to the Lanes, benefiting the community as a whole. The team has made sure that the all sections of the community are involved and have worked with local allotments groups as well as the Didsbury National Probation Service and its Community Payback Scheme.
They have also held a number of community days with elderly and disabled residents participating. Local resident and lead volunteer Anton Xavier says, ‘Everyone from 0 to 90 has participated and the days have drawn people in to help from at least nine different streets.”
Most immediately noticeable have been the introduction of holster planters, mangers, street planters and the restocking of public borders to all the streets in the neighbourhood, which has encouraged individuals to tidy up and plant their own front gardens with the result that the Lanes are now one of the most colourful parts of Didsbury.
The residents have worked hard to conserve the listed trees that provide a leafy foil to much of the urban area and have embarked on a programme of tree management to ensure their longevity. The group has also worked with the local police to tackle anti social behaviour and these actions are already delivering noticeable changes. The planting and tidying schemes have significantly increased the respect shown to their environment by residents themselves and other users.
The activities have not only made physical improvements but more importantly led to a greater sense of community – as Anton says, “We now know each other better, see each other more often and are able to work with each other in ways which are too often absent from life today. In no small way this can be attributed to the active and regular ways in which the different individuals and groups have communicated with each other."
Now that the initial work has been established and enormous enthusiasm has been generated in the community, the team is planning to convert a local area of abandoned land into a community garden to provide a tranquil space and an area for social events. Plans for this have been drawn up and the team is currently seeking permissions to start the work. Consultations have taken place with the local community and have included the architectural liaison officer at Greater Manchester Police, to ensure that the area responds to the aspirations of the people of the Lanes and is safe for all residents to use.
Anton says that being part of the It’s Your Neighbourhood Awards has been “an opportunity for a broader community than just single streets to work together with a common purpose, rekindling pride in the area and engendering greater respect for the environment. It has caused many new relationships to be forged and provides the residents with a platform from which to achieve other long lasting improvements.”