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Council homes uproar
Reporter: by Richard Hooton
Date online: 19 October 2009
RESIDENTS have come out in force against building the first council houses in Oldham for decades.
With the waiting list for council homes soaring to 12,000, housing chiefs are planning to build new properties to help ease the crisis.
But residents on the Holly Estate are furious at one of the locations earmarked, saying a scheme to build 21 new homes on Thorp Road and Leyburn Avenue will cause overdevelopment and mean losing garages, parking spaces and green areas used by children.
More than 50 locals flooded a public meeting at Royton’s Moravian Church to protest to First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO), which manages Oldham’s housing stock and has drawn up the plans.
One resident said: “The community is in uproar about it.”
Royton North Councillor Tony Larkin said: “It’s disappointing in one respect as we are desperately short of social housing in Royton and this would have been the first time in 40 years that properties would be built in Oldham by the council.
“But I understand people’s fears and concerns, particularly in relation to traffic, which is a major issue, and the loss of open space.
“I would like to think there’s a compromise but the feeling of people is that they don’t want it at any price.”
FCHO chief executive Hugh Broadbent, who faced the residents, said the plans were at a very early stage and more consultation was now needed to see if they can progress.
He said: “We were testing the water in Royton to see how residents feel. It’s an area where there’s high demand for rented housing from us. We are proposing two, three and four-bedroom family houses that are in short supply. We will now take stock and then have further serious discussions.”
Other social housing schemes planned include Byron Green, Hollinwood, where a private development to build 32 properties that ground to a halt because of the credit crunch has been rescued by a partnership.
A further four properties are planned in Clyde Street, Watersheddings, and Hawthorne Road, Hollinwood, with consultation to be held with residents.
Comments
I think you will find the residents are up in arms because they are 'council houses'. Not in my back yard an all that.
FCHO - Get those plans on the go and get the new houses in! They're always moaning on that estate.
Rowan Tree Road in Limehurst Village has no Houses on it whatsoever. Why dont the Council build on there?.
NIMBY??? The majority who are objecting actually live in Council properties so it has nothing to do with them being 'Council' homes! I strongly agree it is a great idea to build on waste land but this is NOT what they are proposing in Royton. The Council will demolish 19 garages, remove a carpark and greenery to make room for these houses. The area is already a nightmare to park & if the proposal goes ahead more than 40 cars will lose a space to park & make the local parking issues unbearable!
The proposed site on Hawthorn Road has the only green space left for the local kids to play on. It`s never been used for fly tipping and is regulary maintained by the Council. They must be sick of cutting the grass and keeping it nice. What happened to the new Houses that were supposed to be built on Byrom Green?.
There's plenty of space to build. Wasteland between Alt and Fitton Hill. The Alt area itself. B&Q/Mumps. The edge of Holts. That's just off the top of my head.
exactly build on wasteland and improve an area rather than demolish it!
Have Your Say
NIMBYs!!!! Is anyone else fed up with them? Both me and my family live close to the other proposed developments and don't have an issue with them. The land on Clyde Street is a magnet for tippers and yobs, so clearing it for new, much needed houses can only be a good thing.
Oh, and Mr. Hooton, it's Hawthorn, not Hawthorne. Thanks :-)
By MarkH @ 19/10/2009 12:42:43