Social Housing And Parks Under Threat

This has been brought to our attention both by Welsh St. Homes Group and Friends of Newsham Park. It seems that a huge story is in danger of passing under the public's radar because of the slight of hand of a few council officers.

TIME FRAME

This was presented to the council as an added side bar to existing business on the 24th of June and withdrawn at that meeting apparently for further consultation.
The deadline for objections in noon tomorrow. There has been criminally little community consultation.
The vote is on 8th June at 8.30 am at the council chamber at the Town Hall. I know many of the residents who know about this are going to be there, it should be quite lively.

THE STORY

Zones of Opportunity, have been designated around proposed NRA (National Renewal Areas) without further consultation with those residents who have become part of the development zone, however ALL developers who have applied to the council since 2000 have received a document outlining the nature of the Zones and their boundaries, which include Princes Park, Newsham park, Stanley Park and Botanic park. The developers' document including MAP OF ZONES can be sourced here:-

 http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Images/IPS%20Info%20Pack_tcm21-23653.pdf

The Zones are also areas designated for 'Tenure Diversification'. This means that the areas are not in line with national average profiles of housing stock i.e. there is too much social housing in these areas and not enough privately built/owned property. Housing Association and Co-op Properties are under threat of compulsary pruchase. NRA status supercedes all other legal rights to refuse compulsary purchase orders, including those set out in the European Courts irespective of tenure or ownership status!

THE CONTEXT

The zones outlined on the map at the above link shows the wide ranging extent of the zones and the thousands of Liverpool residents who will be directly affected by this programme.This follows on from the Welsh Streets Homes Group story that was covered on 'Tonight With Trevor McDonald'. As such it will be of interest to many of your readers who will have seen that show, but remain unaffected by the development zones.

CONTACTS

 pete@newshampark.org.uk Friends of Newsham Park contact - Peter Brooks

 edge@nedge.u-net.com Welsh Streets Homes Group contact - Nina Edge


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