The Estate We’re In follows the efforts of the well-known and campaigning grandmother Silla Carron as she works with the residents of the Wolseley Road Flats in Plymouth to improve where they live. She believes she can tackle anti social behaviour to bureaucracy anywhere and she’s not afraid of anyone or anything that gets in her way.

Wolseley Road flats in Plymouth are a daunting challenge. Some residents are scared to go out a night; the landings are frequented by drunken teenagers and the gardens are used as an unofficial rubbish dump. With unprecedented access the cameras follow Silla as she works with the residents to transform the estate. Young mum of two Nicola tells her that life in Wolseley Road is “horrid”. The lock on her front door is constantly broken; teenagers use it as a “toilet” and leave drug taking apparatus on the landings. The longest standing residents Bob and Sue, who have lived there for thirteen years, explain that they lost interest in the residents association because of the apathy of the other tenants while teacher Joe has had his car stolen several times.

The five episodes, filmed over the course of a year, follow Silla’s efforts to improve the estate in three key areas – Safety and Security, Living Conditions, and Community Spirit. 12 months after her first visit Silla returns to see a remarkable transformation – it’s a safer estate, has been completely redecorated, and its residents have a new found sense of community and hope for the future.

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