Housing Estates Under Threat Of Demolition Handed Back To Council

Two west London housing estates that have been under threat of demolition by developers for 12 years are to be handed back to the council in a major victory for campaigners. Residents on the estates, Gibbs Green and West Kensington, will be told at a meeting this evening that their homes will be returned to public ownership under the terms of a deal struck by Hammersmith & Fulham council leader Stephen Cowan. It ends one of the longest-running disputes over regeneration plans between social housing tenants and developers in London in recent years. Read more on the Evening Standard website.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/earls-court-resident-victory-housing-estates-under-threat-of-demolition-handed-back-to-council-a4289941.html

Tory MP Said He’d Rather Have Golf Courses Than Affordable Housing

In a televised interview, Conservative MP Nigel Evans revealed that, instead of housing, he would rather see golf resorts built on green spaces. in an interview with RT UK‘s News Thing Evans proposes his ludicrous plan. When host Sam Delaney jokingly asks if the reason Evans wants Trump to come to the Ribble Valley is so that he can “turn the whole bloody thing into a golf course”, Evans responds: “I tell you what, we’ve got a lot of green space there. I’d rather those be turned into golf courses than some of the housing estates that keep being put up there.” When Delaney responds with surprise and asks “haven’t we got a housing crisis?”, Evans replies: “In the Ribble Valley we haven’t.” Read more on the Canary.

Tory Plan To Demolish Council Estates

Tory Appointing Lord Adonis Paves Way For Plan To Demolish Council Estates For Lower Paid Workers To Make Way For Expensive Housing. Wandsworth Tories have already begun this policy of knocking down council estates as in Roehampton estate in South West London 600 homes face demolition says GMB. GMB commented on the Tories appointment of Lord Adonis to oversee big buildings projects in the UK. Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary, said "The Tory Party claim to be the party of workers is nonsense. As well as taking £1,200 per year in tax credits from 3m workers, with the appointment of Lord Adonis they plan to demolish the council estates where these workers live to develop luxury housing for sale.” Read more on the GMB website.

Council 'Cannot Stop' Earls Court Regeneration

A council has admitted it is unable to stop the demolition of two council estates, set to be knocked down to make way for a divisive £12bn regeneration scheme. Hammersmith and Fulham Council wrote to residents earlier this month explaining it believes the demolition of West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates cannot be stopped. The redevelopment was agreed by the previous Conservative administration, and the local Labour party promised to re-negotiate the deal in its manifesto for local elections last May. But it has now concluded a legal sale of the land was completed in November 2013, leaving it powerless to stop the demolition. Read more on Inside Housing.

Participation & Community on Bradford’s Traditionally White Estates

How residents on two traditionally white estates understand their communities and participate within them, with the emphasis on residents' own views.
The research focused on two estates which have become socially fragmented internally, and stigmatised by wider society. The study reveals:
*the active role many residents play in improving their estates, and the pressures they face as a result;
*the value of working with local residents to create solutions;
*tensions where people feel abandoned and seen as the 'lowest of the low';
*frustrations about public consultations; and
*urgent concerns about inadequate opportunities for young people.
Download a copy from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation website.

Estate Services Benchmarking: Findings For 2008/9

HouseMark has published the first annual report of its Estate Services Benchmarking Service. The quality of estate services is a key area of concern for residents and Estate Services Benchmarking has been designed to help landlords measure and compare their estate services activities with the aim of improving their performance and the value for money provided. Endorsed by TAROE, the national representative body for tenants in England, the system includes a comprehensive range of measures covering estate services costs, performance and resident satisfaction levels. The report summarises the outcomes of the peer review of estate services carried out within twelve organisations during the year. Find the report on the Housemark website by clicking on the logo below.