http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=1855256 New homes plan is a step nearer SHEFFIELD'S largest housing scheme to demolish and rebuild hundreds of homes has taken a major step forward. Councillors have given the go-ahead for the first phase of a £135m regeneration of the Scowerdons, Weakland and Newstead housing estates in south-east Sheffield. There are 809 houses on the estates which are being demolished and replaced with 1,052 new properties, which will be offered for rent, shared equity and for sale. The approval for the first phase of the scheme, on the Weakland estate, now paves the way for work on the initial 45 properties to start early in 2007. All three estates are in urgent need of regeneration. The properties do not meet the Government's Decent Homes standard because of the way they were built and planners also say the layout and design of the estates are unsuitable. Extensive consultation carried out with residents in 2002 revealed the majority were in favour of demolition and rebuilding. Due to the size of the estates, and to minimise disruption to residents, the scheme is being carried out in 16 phases. Home - the housebuilder doing the scheme in partnership with Sheffield Council - has signed up to a Residents' Charter, which guarantees that people currently living on the three estates can move back to a new home of their choice. 02 November 2006 http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=1037487 Revamp for Burngreave AN overhaul of one of Sheffield's most rundown areas has been approved despite a stream of objections from local people. The council's ruling cabinet gave the green light to the outline plan for the Spital Hill, Burngreave and Fir Vale areas after a heated meeting. Objectors lobbied the cabinet session to complain about plans for a supermarket in Spital Hill, proposed demolitions in Fir Vale and a lack of consultation. A group called Spital Hill Local Voice was concerned that up to 35 shops on Spital Hill faced compulsory purchase and "wholesale demolition" to be replaced by a supermarket few people wanted. Residents from Skinnerthorpe Road, Fir Vale said they recognised the overall plan would improve the area but they were worried they might be financially worse off as a result of forced refurbishments to their homes. Councillors said putting off a decision on the plan would put at risk the £174 million government money available for the area. But council leader Jan Wilson said she wanted to take local concerns into account when the detail was worked out. She said: "It's an outline plan which we want to be able to submit to get a lot of money coming into the area. We want to be able to make Fir Vale and Burngreave a really vigorous part of the city." 26 May 2005 ....................................... http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=1858702 DEMOLITION HOMES FURY SCORES of homes in Sheffield face demolition because repairs are too expensive to carry out, The Star can reveal today. Furious residents have accused Sheffield Council of being dishonest about the future of their properties. Structural surveys carried out in the summer identified malthouses in Wordsworth Avenue, Parson Cross, and Reema-type houses in Beighton - which have walls made of hollow panels - as having "no cost effective repair solutions". Sheffield Council has not announced what will happen to the properties and officials are to carry out a consultation exercise with residents. It denies the Beighton homes have been earmarked for the bulldozers. But last week Sheffield Homes, the organisation which runs the city's council housing, controversially revealed that non-traditional types of houses identified in the survey as being too expensive to repair could instead be knocked down and rebuilt. The affected properties are 71 council houses - 64 in Parson Cross and seven in Beighton - and 42 owner-occupied houses bought under the right-to-buy scheme - 28 in Parson Cross and 14 in Beighton. The identity of the houses was revealed in a Sheffield Council document which also states 3,712 of 3,783 non-tradional houses, which range from flats and maisonettes to pre-cast concrete buildings, will be revamped. Private houses are also involved where they are joined to the council properties. Precast concrete Reemas houses were erected in Beighton after the Second World War as an ideal solution to housing need at the time, but were only ever expected to have a 30-year life span. At the same time, malthouses were built in Wordsworth Avenue, Parson Cross, made from concrete blocks pinned together but with apex roofs and rendering made to look like brickwork, so the properties blended in with neighbouring homes. Tenants in the threatened properties today accused the council of "deception" after being told they will receive repair work and improvements under the £700 million Decent Homes programme, such as new bathrooms, kitchens and windows. Meanwhile, owner-occupiers fear they will have wasted thousands of pounds of their own money modernising their properties. Mum-of-three Clare Worthington, aged 25, of Wordsworth Avenue, has lived in her semi-detached house since she was born and took over the tenancy from her mother four years ago. Ms Worthington said: "I am mad over it. There are problems with the house such as damp and I have had to wait ages for repairs, but I thought I was having Decent Homes work done. The council have not been honest. We sit here waiting for repairs, thinking it will be nice, and in the meantime the damp caused one of my daughters to have bronchitis - she nearly died. Now we find out the house might be knocked down." Her neighbour Robert Marriott, 44, neighbourhood watch co-ordinator for the malthouses, and his partner Fiona Jeffrey, 41, a sales worker, bought their home five years ago and have spent £29,000 on improvements. Mr Marriott, a railway worker, said: "This is a really nice community; now there's this threat hanging over us - but we will put up a fight.. We should have been told about the council's intentions before being allowed to spend all that money on our home. "We heard the houses could be demolished 12 months ago but the council denied it. "In the meantime, however, three neighbours have not been allowed to proceed with buying their homes because they couldn't get mortgages due to the condition of the houses, and Decent Homes work has not been started on the malthouses which are still in council hands." Ms Jeffrey also claimed the council had been "dishonest" over the houses. She added: "Neighbours chose new kitchens and bathrooms for the Decent Homes programme but now it's not going to happen." Karl Tupling, Sheffield Council's director of housing, said a consultation process will take place with affected residents in both council and owner-occupied homes. He refused to comment further or respond to the comments made by residents. What do you think. Click here to email. Or you can text us your opinion. Text STARTEXT (followed by a space) and your comments up to a maximum of 160 characters and send to 84070. Text Charges: Texts cost 25p plus normal network rates. If you do not want to receive information on any other products or services, please text the word EXIT at the end of your message. 03 November 2006 ............................................ http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=182316 Housing rethink by council THE shadow of the bulldozer could be lifted from thousands of council homes in Sheffield after a dramatic move by the new Labour council. They have put the brakes on the controversial long-term clearance programme which earmarked up to 13,000 homes across the city for demolition. Ruling Labour councillors have told housing officers to go back to the drawing board and review the policy. They want a complete rethink on the current ‘stock reduction’ programme, pursued by the Lib Dems until they lost power. Recently-approved demolitions in Parson Cross are likely to go ahead, however, and some future demolitions are inevitable elsewhere, as the city grapples with falling demand for council homes and the massive hole in the repairs budget. But the new administration has pledged to involve tenants in any future discussions over demolition. The review decision follows widespread concern among council tenants. The policy was seen by many as one of the main reasons the Lib Dems lost control of the council in May. Labour have already said they will review the other controversial housing issue – the proposal to transfer all council houses to non-profitmaking trusts. Cabinet member for housing Coun Tony Damms said: “We have asked officers to review the proposals to reduce the number of council houses from 63,000 to 50,000. We do not have enough vacant properties to rehouse people, so their figures do not make sense. “We are also concerned that tenants across the city do not feel that they have been properly consulted. People on Shirecliffe, for instance, did not feel that they had an opportunity of putting forward their views and that a decision on demolition had been made by the Lib Dems at the very beginning of the consultation process. I am not saying that is true, but that is what tenants believe.” Most of the agreed demolitions on Parson Cross would go ahead, although there would be further consultation with people living in the Lytton area of the estate. Further talks are planned at Shirecliffe, Scowerdon’s, Newstead and Weakland he said. The move was welcomed by Sheffield Defend Council Housing. Spokesman, Brian Wilson said:“It’s good news, but there is no such thing as ‘too late’ so maybe they could return to look at those homes already approved for demolition.” Lib Dems accused Labour of muddled thinking and a using a delaying tactic. Lib Dem leader, coun Paul Scriven said:“It’s the biggest political scam played in Sheffield’s history. It’s people’s homes and neighbourhoods that are at stake. We do not have time to wait, Labour must take decisive * Current policy has earmarked 1,461 council homes across Sheffield to be reduced to rubble over the next 12 months. Question marks are placed over 330 bedsits, flats and maisonettes in Gleadless Valley, more than 700 timber-framed homes on the Scowerdons, Newstead and Weakland estates, near Frecheville, 60 flats in Manor Park, 120 flats and maisonettes in Manor, a 48-flat tower block in Winn Gardens and a further 196 properties in Parson Cross where 868 homes are facing the bulldozer. 24 June 2002 ........................................ http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=291338 Demolition plan agreed for troubled homes A RUNDOWN council estate dubbed 'Bin-Bag City' by angry tenants is to be bulldozed. Tatty, flat-roofed 'Vic Hallam' houses on the Scowerdons estate in Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, will be demolished along with neighbouring Newstead and Weakland in a major renewal programme. Phased demolition of the 702 homes follows long-standing efforts to find solutions to widespread disrepair caused by water penetration. Sheffield councillors, who are expected to approve the demolition proposals next week, admit that not all tenants are happy with the idea. But they say the majority accept demolition and rebuilding as the only long-term solution. Under proposals due to be accepted by the council's ruling Cabinet next week, the defective flat-roofed homes will be replaced by a mixture of new homes for rent or purchase. The council will appoint a consultant to draw up detailed proposals for the future of the estates, and householders will be involved in drawing up the blueprint. It is expected that a housing association will be appointed to build homes for rent, and a private developer given land to build "affordable houses" for sale. Existing tenants will be given priority for new homes, or given help to move to nearby estates should they prefer. They will not face rent increases in April while their futures are determined. Health, education and recreation centres will be included in the new masterplans for the estates. Local councillor Angela Smith said: "This is the result of a lot of talking with local people. I'm not saying they are deliriously happy, but they have signed up to this as the best option and a way forward. "We were never opposed to demolition but we wanted people to be comfortable with the idea." Cabinet member for housing Coun Chris Weldon said: "There is community ownership of this strategy – it's something people can be comfortable with because they have helped to formulate the plans for the future. The key thing is that people can now envisage new estates." No decisions have been taken on when demolition will start. The Scowerdons estate was dubbed 'Bin-Bag City' after black plastic lining was used by the council in an attempt to stop water seeping into the homes. Vic Hallam-designed homes were constructed in the 1960s using timber frames. The flat roofed types on the three estates have suffered a variety of defects. Estimates suggest that the homes would cost a total of £18 million to improve, repair and maintain over the next 30 years. Joanne Roney, executive director of housing said: "Only demolition and rebuild will provide a solution for the whole of the estates, improved lay-out, vehicle access and a more suitable property mix." 10 March 2003 ......................................... http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=531452 £44m homes hit list fears AN unprecedented £44 million is needed to demolish unwanted council houses in Sheffield, sparking fears of a 'secret' town hall list of targets for the bulldozer. Lib Dems and a tenants' leader suspect demolitions are planned city-wide after The Star discovered the figure in a council document sent to the Government. Housing chiefs in Sheffield have told Whitehall the city needs the unexpected sum to get rid of unwanted homes over the next 10 years. The figure, contained in a funding application, does not go into details of demolition targets but it says pockets of properties in north and central Sheffield are 'under scrutiny' and £7.6 million may be required to cover the cost of demolitions in those areas alone by 2010. It does not say which other areas of the city could be at risk of the bulldozer. Labour denies the existence of any hit-list. But it privately admits more demolitions are inevitable, although stressing it would be in consultation with tenants. The report, which is the council's bid document for extra government funding to bring homes up to a 'decent' standard by 2010, talks about the need to demolish poorer, unwanted properties and sell others. The aim is designed to tackle falling demand and poor conditions. The town hall report says about 5,500 city council homes will have been demolished from 2001 to 2005. In the Brightside/Shiregreen and Central areas it adds: "It has been assumed that further demolitions of around 1,700 (in those two areas) will be required. "These figures are regularly under review and no decisions have been taken about which properties should be demolished. "Any such decisions will be subject to detailed consultation with tenants and stakeholders in the affected areas." Lib Dems and tenants groups immediately called for an explanation from ruling Labour chiefs why the details of the scale of possible future demolition over the next decade. Brian Wilson, spokesman for the Sheffield Defend Council Houses campaign, says he was stunned by the size of the £44 million demolition budget. He said: "In Opposition, Labour were opposed to wholesale demolition yet now in power they want to spend £44 million destroying our homes. "All of a sudden they are willing to sacrifice council homes to satisfy Tony Blair's privatisation plans. It's immoral to me "We keep saying: Tell us the truth, give us the facts." Coun Paul Scriven, Lib Dem leader in Sheffield, said: "Our worry is that there is a secret list of demolitions that will get drip-fed to the public. "The figures in this document are plain to see but it is amazing that nothing has been said about them in public. It is all a bit suspicious." Labour's housing spokesman, Coun Chris Weldon, denied the existence of a secret list. 12 June 2003 ...................................... http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=1813032 Tenants set to vote on transfer deal TENANTS in south east Sheffield can find out what's on offer if they vote to transfer their homes from the council to a housing association. Residents in council houses on Richmond Park, Birklands and Athelstan estates are being asked whether they want to opt for stock transfer. A panel of tenants and councillors selected Manchester Methodist housing association as the preferred landlord for the estate. If tenants vote in favour, 463 properties would transfer from council ownership to Manchester Methodist. A ballot of all tenants would take place in January 2007. Manchester Methodist has promised residents new kitchens and bathrooms, high security doors, insulation, modern central heating or district heating system, roof repairs and re-pointing. The housing association has also said it would carry out environmental improvements. There are also proposals to demolish 76 one-bedroom flats on Richmond Park, which have a high turnover of tenants and attract anti-social behaviour. The site would be used for a small development of family homes with five to 10 for social rent and 30 to 40 for sale. Tenants' representatives are supporting the demolition and the council says its initial consultation with all residents indicates the majority also approve. Karl Tupling, director of housing at Sheffield Council, said: "Manchester Methodist has put together an excellent offer, however tenants will continue to be consulted and the transfer will not go ahead without their support." 10 October 2006 ............................................... The city which saw the biggest decline in prices over the quarter was Sheffield, where 17% was knocked off the value of a home between April and June. http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/jul/01/houseprices.property 01 July 2008 ......................................... Berneslai Homes has won the right to apply for grants for affordable homes http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Town39s-cheap-homes-boost.4251225.jp 03 July 2008 ......................................... Housebuilders axe jobs and office http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Housebuilders-axe-jobs-and-office.4255530.jp 04 July 2008 ............................................. COUNCIL estates in Sheffield could be demolished in the future because of a £200 million budget shortfall, a shock report has revealed. http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Cash-crisis-means-council-estates.4234881.jp 08 July 2008