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Watch how the estate is
changing and hear from Bob Illsley

Things are changing in Stanhope- and its certainly not hard to
notice.

Flats from the 1960s are giving way to stylish apartments, new
fences, pathways and playgrounds are being fitted and unkempt grass
verges are being replaced with flower beds.

And these are only the external changes.

Inside the 323 homes authority-owned homes changes are happening
too. Kitchens are being refurbished, rewiring is taking place and
new white goods are arriving.

The refurbishment of Stanhope is in fact one of the biggest
redevelopment projects in the UK.

At the head of the scheme is Bob Illsley, regional general
manager for construction and maintenance firm Powerminster Gleeson
Services.

With a budget of nearly £200 million and responsibility for
hundreds of homes this is no small task, something Mr Illsley
realised early on in the project.

He said: "I had a call two and a half years ago asking me to
join the project. I knew of the estate and I couldn’t believe they
wanted me to redevelop the whole thing.

"When we first started the project people were asking us to
leave them alone. It’s a big thing having us working in your house
for weeks but I think people can see now the area is improving and
they have got more used to us being around."

Mr Illsley’s has come to love Stanhope and is angry with people
who attack the estate as being a no-go area.

He said: "I had heard of Stanhope’s reputation before I came
here but the truth is Stanhope is no where near as bad as people
make it out to be. It’s a great community. I came from working on
inner-city estates in London and when I arrived I thought, what are
people talking about?"

The future of Stanhope is also close to the heart of resident
and Ashford Borough councillor Palma Laughton (Ash Ind), who has
been instrumental in making the redevelopment happen. Cllr Laughton
and her husband moved from London to Stanhope in October 1968 and
have been proud to be residents ever since.

She said: "I’m really pleased with what’s happening in Stanhope.
People were a bit wary at first but now they are starting to
understand what’s being done.

"People outside Stanhope are starting to realise it is not the
no-go area some think it is.