A housing association is spending £280,000 on sprucing up six neighbourhoods.

Greenfields Community Housing asked residents what changes they wanted too see, to encourage them to take more pride in where they live and feel more secure in their homes.

Improvements include replacing communal doors and bin stores, upgrading security cameras, improved lighting, new fences, dogs bins, bat and bird boxes, creating communal social gardens and new flowerbeds.

The first six areas to benefit from neighbourhood action plans are flats in Stanes Road, on Braintree’s Glebe estate, The Spinney on the Goldingham estate in Braintree, Barwell and Fortis House on the Hatfield Road estate, Witham, the Calamint Road flats in Witham, Trinity Court flats in Halstead and Armstrong Way in Great Yeldham.

The improvements are expected to be completed by March.

Greenfields plans to improve other areas – residents who want to nominate their area can contact their neighbourhood co-ordinator or area forum representative.