Sutton councillor explains housing plan (From Sutton Guardian)

Sutton councillor explains housing plan

7:00am Thursday 19th April 2012 in News

Sutton Councillor Jayne McCoy

Sutton Council is trying to move more than 20 homeowners from private residences to make way for a new housing development.

Councillor Jayne McCoy, Executive Member for Planning, Economic Development and Housing explains why...

"This is an opportunity to replace homes which have become structurally unsound with high-quality family homes as we now have the resources, working with our housing association partners, to enable this to take place.

"We have been working with residents to negotiate a fair settlement, and most have been very happy to accept this.

"However, we are still working with a very small number of people to find a solution which they are happy with.

"These houses have developed very serious structural faults and are now considered unmortgageable, meaning that they would be almost impossible to sell on the open market.

"We cannot leave tenants in defective homes, and have no option but to look at redeveloping the site in order to meet our social housing obligations.

"A number of tenants have been offered and accepted alternative accommodation in the borough, with the option of moving to one of the new homes when they are built, and private owners will be offered the full market value of their properties, plus discretionary compensation payments and help with moving.

"We are also looking at a swap scheme, where private owners could be given a brand new home in exchange for their old one.

"If it is necessary to use powers under Compulsory Purchase Orders to enable the redevelopment to take place then residents would have the right to have their compensation assessed by the Lands Tribunal."

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