Social landlord OneManchester’s [1] controversial
plans to build new housing in Hulme reveal that none of the
170 properties will be available as social homes.
The scheme called ‘Hulme Living’[2], which
OneManchester hopes to begin in early 2016, will be across 2 sites in Hulme,
one approximately 100 property build on Leaf Street the other Chorlton Road.
Dave Power, chief executive of OneManchester justifies the proposal, saying “…Greater Manchester desperately needs to be building at least 10,000 new homes per year in order to play its part in tackling the national housing crisis” [3].
Deyika Nzeribe, Manchester Green Party and resident of Hulme said “OneManchester is supposed to be a social landlord. Where are the social homes in this plan? Dave Power is right in saying that there is a housing crisis in Manchester but that crisis is that there are 20,000 people on the council waiting list[4], the worse in the North West of England. If not organisations like OneManchester, who is going to build the social housing we desperately need?
“If all the accommodation in these plans are for
rent, why not have a mix, have 40% of the tenants in there from the housing
list? THAT would be a small step but it will be in the right direction.”
Manchester Green Party Chair Steffeny McGiffen commented “With 20,000 people on the housing waiting list evidence of the lack of accommodation for people in need can be seen every day on the streets of Manchester. Those charged with the welfare of the city are failing to tackle the issue and arguably, wilfully ignoring it."
Ends
Notes
3. 170
new homes expected to be built in Hulme - http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/170-new-homes-expected-built-9780001
4. Households
on local authorities' housing waiting lists - http://data.gov.uk/dataset/households_on_local_authorities_housing_waiting_lists_-_excluding_households_waiting_for_transfers