A FARTOWN housing estate looks set to receive a £46,000 environmental facelift to encourage community pride in the area.

Abbey Road Estate in Fartown is one of three areas in Kirklees put forward by Kirklees Council for environmental works such as painting fences, landscaping and improvements to the children’s play area.

The 1930s-built estate currently has around 160 properties on it and has no tenants and residents association to help engage the community.

Residents were consulted back in July last year as to where they felt the cash could be used for example, bin storage, off street parking, security lighting, footpath improvements and playgrounds.

But now the following plans have been set out as follows:

£21,500 for improvements to play area and bike barriers

£9,500 for improvements to landscaping

£11,000 for cleaning and re-staining fencing.

A further £13,000 has also been earmarked for fencing at Bradley Mills, Brown Royd Avenue (bottom end), Foxlow Avenue, Nether Close, Netherhall Avenue, Rawthorpe Crescent and Rawthorpe Lane to form a continuous barrier deterrent to entry from open land.

It is hoped the revamping of these activities will supplement recent activities for the community led by the council’s community ranger team and the police, an allotment scheme which is underway supported by funds approved by the Huddersfield North Tenant Committee from the Tenant Led Budget, and work to get the children of Ashbrow School involved in keeping the area tidy.

A report produced ahead of next week’s cabinet meeting reads: “We intend to improve the children’s play area between Abbey Road and Hammond Street through resurfacing, providing fresh low maintenance planting and installing bike barriers.

“The environmental appearance of the estate will be lifted through targeted planting at the estate entrance and materials will be supplied and efforts made to engage and involve the community in re-staining the current fencing.”

The following benefits are anticipated by carrying out the improvement works:

A feeling of increased security, with a reduction in crime and the fear of crime and ASB

Greater visual appeal and improved environments by tackling the most run down parts on estates

Improved, clearer and more defensible boundaries

An increase in the popularity of estates leading to more sustainable properties and tenancies, due to a reduction in turnover of properties and less time empty

Increased resident satisfaction

Increased community engagement to tackle wider issues and concerns

A total of 5.5m was allocated from the housing revenue account for three years from 2010/11.

This is the third phase of the project which has already seen £668,000 improvements in Dalton and £149,000 in Hillhouse

Kirklees Council’s cabinet will determine the proposal at its meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall from 4pm tomorrow.