Sheffield regeneration plan scrapped

A MULTI-Million pound regeneration scheme has been scrapped after it failed to deliver a promise of hundreds of new homes in Sheffield.
Coun Harry HarphamCoun Harry Harpham
Coun Harry Harpham

Sheffield City Council has refused to detail the amount spent by the authority on the Scowerdons, Weakland and Newstead (SWaN) project on the grounds the information is “commercially sensitive”.

Councillors agreed to bring to an end the authority’s contract with housing provider Home Group in a behind-closed-doors meeting.

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Home Group said both sides had agreed to end the partnership which was drawn up before the worst of the economic downturn which saw many property developments grind to a halt.

The SWaN project, originally costed at £135 million, was supposed to see the demolition of 809 houses judged to be beyond repair and the building of around 1,000 new homes.

But fewer than half that number have so far been built although the council insists new homes have been found for all those who moved out.

Coun Harry Harpham, the council’s cabinet member for homes and neighbourhoods at Sheffield City Council, said: “Terminating this development agreement at this point, before the city council incurs any further costs, is absolutely the best option, not only in terms of saving money but in terms of making the land available for future development much more quickly.

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“Around 17 hectares of land, currently tied up in the development agreement, will now be released to enable Sheffield City Council to select the most appropriate options for its future development.

“It must be stressed that, while this early termination was clearly not envisaged when the SWaN Development Agreement was first drawn up, the economic landscape is significantly different to what it was prior to 2008.

“The agreement had become increasingly incompatible with current housing market conditions, and it is in the best interests of all involved to terminate the agreement by mutual consent.

“However, it must also be remembered that the development has seen some success. A total of 315 new homes have been built and all of the former SWaN tenants - more than 800 of them - have successfully been rehoused, the last of which moved into their new home on September 1 this year.”

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Work on building new homes as part of the SWaN project started in 2008 and was due to take between six and eight years to complete.

Brian Ham, Home Group’s executive director of enterprise and development, said it was “immensely proud” of the work it had done.

“Modern, well designed, energy efficient homes now stand where outdated 1960s prefabricated homes once existed. These new homes will last for generations and serve as the blueprint for wider regeneration.

“As a not-for-profit housing provider we have no interest in making money for shareholders, our only concern is to provide affordable homes for those who need them.

“However we can’t operate at a loss and the final stage of this project has simply become un-economical due to factors beyond our control.”