News Action group dispute Advance Goole claim
An action group has taken issue with a report used to determine the future of Richard Cooper and Phoenix Streets in Goole.
Goole Action Group (GAG), who are campaigning for the streets to be renovated rather than razed and rebuilt, claim that a report referred to by the East Riding's head of housing and public protection, Sally Burns, was out of date.
Ms Burns recently spoke to Radio Humberside and Look North about Advance Goole, a ten-year housing renewal and regeneration project.
She stated that the East Riding of Yorkshire Council carried out a housing needs survey last summer which showed that there was a need in the area.
However, she said that the need was for modern, warm, two- and three-bedroomed houses, not the sort that are currently on Richard Cooper and Phoenix Streets and was therefore confident that the council was doing the right thing.
A spokesperson for GAG said: "The report was put together, not last summer, as quoted by Ms Burns but actually during the spring of 2006 and the results of the report have then been altered/amended, for some reason, no fewer than four times before being published.
"The report, which is 192 pages long and covers the whole of the East Riding, is in fact partly based on a census carried out in 2001."
The group claims it ignores the influx of migrant workers into the town and the issue of price.
According to GAG, the question which should have been asked, and was not, is: "Would you prefer a nice, warm newly-modernised town house, in a refurbished location, at a price you can afford, or a semi-detached house at a price you cannot?"
A spokesperson for the East Riding has refuted GAG's claims, saying: "The housing needs survey was carried out professionally, in accordance with guidance from central government, and takes account of known recent demographic trends, as well as the most recent Census data.
"The survey does not ignore the issue of price nor the significance of migrant workers. The council is also engaged in ongoing separate research on migrant workers.
"The survey recognises there is demand for affordable housing but there is a very high proportion of smaller terraced housing in Goole. Demand for this type of housing is relatively low and there is a need to diversify the housing stock.
"The council is committed to making a positive difference in Goole and a significant part of this will be to help in transforming how the local housing market operates. Substantial public funding has already been committed in acquiring properties in the two streets (Richard Cooper and Phoenix) with a view to replacing them with new housing.
"Significant public funding has also been secured to improve and refurbish many other properties in the Advance Goole area. In addition to this, a number of development sites are being brought forward in Goole for new housing to assist in the wider renaissance agenda, helping to meet local needs and supporting ongoing economic activity."
* See letter, page ten.
Published on 31st January 2008 in News.
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