Lewisham Liberal Democrats Info | Links policies campaigns join us News from Lewisham 20 August 2002 Liberal Democrats Huntbach Attacks Council over Pepys Regeneration Cllr. Matthew Huntbach has slammed Lewisham Council over the way it has carried out regeneration of the Pepys Estate, Deptford. "The Council has not listened to the Pepys residents any more than it has to by law", he said. "The Pepys residents, particularly in Marlowe and Millard Houses, deserve better housing. The Council never allocated enough money to repair these. But now it is replacing these houses last. "The Council always knew it could not, by law, sell Aragon Tower and demolish the other blocks without consulting the tenants, but it moved out over two hundred of them before starting the consultation. "They are now in flats which would otherwise go to those on the waiting list. The Council has not planned for this. "Its housing policy does not help. If another estate is decanted as the rebuild is finished, the tenants of the second estate get preference for the new flats over those who have lived in Pepys for years. "In April 1999, the Council approved a plan to sell Aragon Tower and demolish the other blocks and replace them with housing association homes, after consulting with tenants. It did not consult with them again until last Christmas - it just passed the buck to Hyde. "The statutory consultation took place over the holidays, when many tenants were away. Residents raised many important issues, such as the details of the decant procedure, but these were ignored: the Council was just interested in a yes or no answer. "The Mayor has now taken the final step. Compulsory Purchase Orders will be used where necessary to forcibly reacquire flats from leaseholders. Buying these back, together with legal and surveyors' fees and payments for disturbance, etc., are expected to cost millions of pounds - much of this would otherwise have been spent on renovating the Estate. "The Liberal Democrats have been denied a chance to scrutinise this - the Business Panel meeting which would have looked at this decision was cancelled without notice. "This whole affair is typical of this Council. It dreams up a scheme then railroads it through with the minimum consultation and planning." Ends. Background Notes 1. The Council's intention, confirmed by the Executive Committee on 20 February 2002, is to sell Aragon Tower to the private sector and dispose of the remaining 5 buildings to Hyde Housing Association, who will demolish them and replace them with 9 new buildings. 2. The consultation over the Christmas period was carried out in line with the Council's duties under Part V Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1985. 3. The decision to make a Compulsory Purchase Order under Section 17 of the Housing Act 1985 for the acquisition of Aragon Tower, Limberg House, Marlowe House and Millard House, was taken by the Mayor and Cabinet on 31 July 2002. This decision would have been discussed in a meeting of the Business Panel on 7August 2002. 4. Cllr Huntbach arrived at Lewisham Town Hall for the Business Panel meeting on 7th August intending to ask question about the Compulsory Purchase Order only to be told the meeting had been cancelled. He had not been informed of the cancellation nor asked if there was any business he wished to bring up before it was cancelled. The cancellation of this meeting means the deadline for questioning this decision has passed. 5. It was reported to the Mayor and Cabinet on 31 July that "The overall cost to the Council in obtaining vacant possession of the six blocks is estimated at £2,329,000. Of this £959,000 has been paid from the Pepys Estate Action budget and a further £243,000 was paid from the capital programme after Pepys Estate Action was completed on 30 September 2001. Provision for the balance was made in the capital programme by the Executive Committee 19 December 2001 with the costs coming from eventual capital receipts".