AN area’s pottery past has inspired residents to contribute to a regeneration scheme which is creating a new future.

Thirty people living at Pottery Bank in Walker, Newcastle, worked on a four-month project to create mosaics which have become part of the area renewal works.

Fourteen pairs of mosaic panels in stainless steel frames have been placed on new pillars which are part of a wider estate improvement scheme.

More than 60 homes have been upgraded in the first phase of the regeneration scheme.

Walker was home to the Maling’s B Ford Pottery in the 19th and 20th Centuries.

The project, run by Newcastle City Council’s arts development team, saw artist Susheila Jamison work with residents to design the mosaics, drawing on their locality for inspiration.

They took part in workshops at the Thomas Gaughan Community Centre in Walker, and also donated their own pottery for the estates “pottery bank” .

Examples of their work have also gone on show in an exhibition at the centre.

The mosaic art project was funded through Your Homes Newcastle and Bridging Newcastle Gateshead and will form part of a larger improvement scheme which aims to transform around 250 homes.

Improvements will include new gardens, fences, driveways, windows, roofs and bay windows .

Cat Jarman, city council arts development officer, said: “Working with the residents of Pottery Bank this project was very much a collaborative process and everyone contributed to the final pieces in so many ways – from hands on help, to constructive comments, thoughts and reflections.”

The £1.5m first phase of the improvement scheme has been carried out by Frank Haslam Milan (FHM) North East for Your Homes Newcastle (YHN).

John Lee, chief executive at YHN, said: “The opportunity to create this artwork has really grabbed the attention of our tenants. This artwork is a great example of how tenants can make a positive contribution to their community when they are given the opportunity.”

Cat Jarman said: “The project has enabled people on the estate to get involved in the development in many different ways.

“It is a very close-knit community so it is good to see them working together to improve their neighbourhood.”

The estate is also home to one of the UK’s most environmentally-friendly properties. The Government’s Retrofitting for the Future initiative saw FHM install the latest carbon reducing technologies to show how the homes of the future will look.

This project was a collaborative process and everyone contributed to the pieces in so many ways