It’s not too late to save doomed flats
1500 waiting on council housing list would love refurbished home near town centre
With a nod to the hapless and soon to be homeless Boris Johnston - when the herd who originally voted to demolish Ayr’s ‘High Flats’ don’t move . . . then they don’t move.
Unlike Downing Street - which awaits a new leader of the flock South Ayrshire Council already has one. At the last SAC meeting before recess, Martin Dowey’s attempt to steer the old herd along a fresh path was met with a lot of braying and whinnying – and a 15 to 10 votes defeat.
“Bid To Save Flats Doomed” said the headlines that followed. As one of the original campaigners to save the 200+ Riverside Place flats – I’m still clinging to the hope that it’s not too late for old herd to see new horizons. And if they can’t see the horizon – perhaps they can see page two of Monday’s The Herald. It reveals North Lanarkshire Council has decided to reverse a decision to demolish two high rise blocks.
And with the help of a £5 million Government grant – they’re to be refurbished as affordable housing with some homes set aside for Ukrainian refugees!
Anyway, in all that braying and whinnying at that last meeting – there was little in the way of facts.
This page has already put forward the “Best Value” case – and the argument that saving 230 flats - for virtually the same price as building 9 replacements - is irresistible.
The “riddled with asbestos” premise has already been shot down. It has to be safely removed either way. The “cost of refurbishment” conjecture has yet to be tested by truly independent valuations.
One councillor suggested that no-one wants to live in high rise accommodation any more.
Well, why not contact the 1500 souls on the housing waiting list and see how many turn down a refurbished flat – with new everything included! – minutes from the High Street and a riverside view?
Councillor Ian Cavana’s argument included that fact that the nearest fire engine that could tackle a high rise fire was based in Glasgow.
So, let’s hose that one down. Mmm . . . let’s say an average £5400 annual rent X 230 flats = £1.25 million. Over 20 years – that’s almost £25 million. So . . . here’s an alternative, Ian. Let’s go out and buy a new fire engine! Even better, if the flats are ‘saved’ – I’ll raise the first £100,000 towards it myself!
The one objection I will sustain was Councillor Dettbarn’s reference to any refurbished flats being unsuitable for specialist supervised housing care. But I don’t know why she looked me in the eye as she made her very valid point.
That idea was in the Conservative manifesto . . . not my independent one! My manifesto called for “common sense” – and if it’s not too late for North Lanarkshire Council to see it . . . why not SAC too?
Sadly, it IS too late to stop the Victory Park 3-G football pitch from going ahead.
I’ll go to my grave saying it’s the wrong development on the wrong site, but – to quote Boris for a second time! – them’s the breaks. Wily local councillor
Alec Clark has netted his side a winner despite a strong Girvan defence.
This issue for me – and many others - was always about the hi-jacking of Common Good land and not the footballing youngsters caught in the crossfire.
I wish Girvan Youth Football Club well. But it is a lesson learned . . . the hard way.
If elected members don’t watch over our Common Good heritage – nobody else will.
I’m told all Scottish local authorities are required by law to raw up a register of their Common Good interests.
To the best of my knowledge – and I know I’ll be corrected by Legal Services here! – SAC doesn’t have one.
But I’m heartened by a conversation with council leader Martin Dowey that his administration will seek a “new approach” to the management of all Common Good assets.
I’ll be watching with interest.