Problem Forfar flats are finally to be razed as a “new era” of council house building is ushered in by Angus councillors.
The package including what was hailed as record capital investment of over £12 million in Angus stock came after unanimous approval for a 4.8% increase in council house rents for 2011-12 by a special meeting of the neighbourhood services committee.
Angus tenants had backed the rise which will keep the average Angus weekly rent of £49.90 amongst the lowest in Scotland as a “balanced and beneficial increase for current and future tenants.”
Among the projects to be progressed following the budget’s approval will be development at vacant Newmonthill.
Proposals to redevelop an area previously blighted by anti-social behaviour, drug abuse and problem tenants have stalled due to the increasing costs of demolishing the properties, but Forfar councillor and neighbourhood services vice-convener Colin Brown said the way was now clear and he hopes to see the blocks cleared before the end of the year.
“This is a good day for Angus and our tenants, and in Forfar we are going to see the fruits of this council-funded house-building programme,” said Mr Brown.Innovative plans”At the beginning of the year I was delighted to host a meeting of the local Forfar members where we reviewed innovative and exciting plans for the removal of the existing flats and the reuse of the current foundation, and I was delighted that I received cross-party support.
“This new approach will reduce our carbon footprint and replace old and tired flats with 18 new town houses capable of meeting some of Forfar’s need for larger homes and homes for the elderly.”
Committee convener Jim Millar said, “Through approval of this tenant-led increase we will see a record capital investment of over £12 million, which will keep us on track to meet the Scottish Quality Housing Standard and see us build 83 houses across the county, with more planned.
“When we take in the proposed new homes in Forfar, this administration will have committed to building over 100 affordable new houses not flats. These will be the first new wholly council-funded homes in a generation,” he added.
Mr Millar said staff savings of some £230,000 had freed up around £3.2 million of prudential borrowing that will be used to target the creation of new homes and innovative partnerships.
“We hope that this initiative will stimulate around a further 80 new homes. We will also be establishing a timetable of discussions with our tenants to model next year’s rent rise.
“I hope our tenants will also support the development of a five-year rent strategy, and if they do I will set about identifying enough land across the council to build as many houses as our rent strategy allows.
Mr Millar added, “This is a housing budget which takes account of the challenging financial climate for our tenants and for the council.”