News Demolition plans progress
Plans to demolish and then rebuild Phoenix Street and Richard Cooper Street look one step closer, with the council now seeking a developer for the site.
Sally Burns, head of housing and public protection at East Riding, confirmed that there has already been interest in the site, which will soon be followed by a selection stage and then the chosen developers will be asked to bring forward a planning application.
She also stated that the council has enforcement powers on some of the properties that are still occupied.
At a meeting with Goole Town Council on Monday evening, Ms Burns told them: "Phoenix Street and Richard Cooper Street are not sustainable. The plan is still the same as it always has been - the streets will be demolished and redeveloped.
"We have contractors ready for demolition but we haven't started yet because there is still the threat on an injunction."
She also stated that the advice being given to the council was not to go through with a compulsory purchase order before the planning application had gone through.
She said: "There is a demand in Goole for warm, family accommodation. That is what we want to create down there. It is something that is going to look sympathetic with the surrounding area - we don't want it to look odd. The houses that will be built will be as high as possible in energy efficiency and East Riding have also stated that they have ensured the Environment Agency that the houses would be free of flood risk."
Ms Burns also criticised recent publicity about a young family that has moved into a house on Phoenix Street, describing it as 'completely irresponsible'. She said: "We have officers down Phoenix Street and Richard Cooper Street everyday doing patrols, checking everything is okay and picking up needles etc.
"I just hope that young family is safe down there - it is completely ridiculous."
Councillors were also briefed on which streets in Goole are to be given a facelift under the 'Changing Streets Scheme', which will include Henry Street and Carter Street and a number of streets in Old Goole. Residents in those areas are being given questionnaires to find out what they think of their neighbourhood.
Ms Burns said: "We will use this survey as a baseline for neighbourhood projects and it will focus on street crime, etc. I am quite confident that this will make the housing project much easier.
"East Riding have agreed that they have been able to reduce crime and improve residents lives with the same scheme in Bridlington.
"I also want to confirm that the only two streets that are going to be demolished are Phoenix Street and Richard Cooper Street."
Cllr Malcolm Boatman said: "I'm not entirely convinced that the right streets on the map are highlighted as fragile. There are some streets in fairly good repair but there are some individual properties bringing the street down."
Published on 10th April 2008 in News.
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