History
PSEMB has been pioneering resident-led housing management and has been running a range of community development activities since early 1994. It followed on from the initial residents association that was formed in 1987, which had successfully campaigned, secured and jointly managed a £5.1 million refurbishment contract for its estate of 160 dwellings. In 1994 Plymouth City Council awarded the entire housing management function for the Pembroke Street estate to PSEMB, by way of a partnership contract.
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 During the late 1980s as a Residents Association and into the early 1990s, as PSEMB, the group established its role in providing a significant range of badly-needed community-based activities. These included youth development work, local employment and training initiatives, all of which became available for the wider Devonport area. This strategy was developed by expansion in sensible stages, and work was carried out beyond the Pembroke Street estate, putting PSEMB at the forefront of wider area initiatives. The timetable for the initial establishment of PSEMB was as follows:
| 1987 |
Original residents group formed |
| 1988/89 |
Local management option explored and Community flat & activities established |
| 1991 |
Bid for complete refurbishment made under the Government’s ‘Estate Action’ programme |
| 1992 |
Complete refurbishment works approved, and employment / training initiatives started |
| 1993 |
Refurbishment works started; new management arrangements completed |
| 1994 |
Management Agreement signed: PSEMB fully operational |
 From the point of becoming fully operational back in 1994, PSEMB has played a significant role in the regeneration of the wider area. During 1995/6 the scheme won several awards including a British Urban Regeneration Award and an Abercrombie Architecture Award.
The extensive work carried out by the residents on the design of the buildings, together with community engagement, employment and training initiatives, combined with the on-going management arrangements brought PSEMB to the forefront of a study conducted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Entitled ‘Putting Back the Pride’ the full report and the findings gave positive confirmation on the benefits of investing in local people in order to achieve a sustainable community.
By 2001 Devonport had gained New Deal for Communities (NDC) status netting over £49 million of government funding. Plans for the regeneration of the whole of Devonport were by now well underway, bringing far reaching changes. The earlier, successful turn around of the Pembroke Street Estate underpinned this work. Ambitious housing schemes to demolish and rebuild large amounts of social housing and to increase levels of owner occupation are currently part way through to completion. |
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| Car crime was a major problem during the 1980’s. Vehicles were frequently blown up – often very close to occupied properties. |
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| A view of a Pembroke Street courtyard – circa 1990 – looking across to the nearby Clowance / Prospect Estate |
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