1960s flats saved to soften impact of welfare reforms

COUNCILLORS have decided to save two blocks of flats on a Hull estate from the bulldozers to create homes for people displaced by Government welfare reforms.

There are estimates that as many as 1,000 people will move into Hull from the East Riding as a result of Government reforms to housing benefit, with tenants in the city also scrambling for cheaper accommodation.

Coun John Black said the council would be the landlord of first resort as people were outpriced from private tenancies.

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The council says the cheapest option is that all remaining blocks on Orchard Park estate come down, but members meeting at the city’s Guildhall yesterday want to press ahead with a £15m plan, which would see Laxthorpe and Highcourt come down. Nearly 100 one-bedroomed flats would, however, be retained in Gorthorpe and Kinthorpe and a mix of one and two-bedroomed flats built, as well as 25 council houses, in partnership with Riverside Housing – providing in all 300 homes.

Coun Black said they were trying to do the best for the area after the Government abandoned a £50m private finance initiative deal which would have seen nearly 600 homes built. The decision will be finally signed off when the financial figures have been checked.

Coun Black said: “We feel that if we can retain two blocks and offer just short of 300 new homes... we can minimise the impact of the Government’s cuts.”

Ashthorpe, Mildane and Homethorpe will be knocked down next year, Coun Black claimed. He added: “If we knocked them all down all we would only have 86 single person’s accommodation left in north Hull. We already have 50 people chasing each flat on Orchard Park.”

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Hull Council officials said knocking down the four would place least pressure on the council’s housing finances, where savings of £1.8m per year are needed. However, Labour councillors say they can fund the new build using a bonus paid by the Government for new homes, along with higher rent for the new homes and use of council reserves.

The blocks were built in the 1960s as part of a slum clearance programme – but have had “minimal capital investment” since then. Those in favour of demolition have cited “cold, damp” conditions, the cost of heating the flats and anti-social behaviour.