§ Mr. Thurnhamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has reached a decision on any of the proposals submitted to his urban housing renewal unit by the metropolitan borough of Bolton; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungI am pleased to announce my right hon. Friend's favourable response to a scheme in Bolton which the metropolitan borough council has worked up in close consultation with my Depertment's urban housing renewal unit and our north-west regional office.
The estate which will benefit from today's decision is the Oldhams estate. This estate consists of 722 dwellings in a mixture of low-rise flats and houses.
The council is proposing to open a local management office on the estate to be responsible for day-to-day management and general liaison with the tenants, on the lines of the arrangements which my Department's priority estates project team is already developing on another estate in Bolton. I regard the establishment of local management as an essential part of any package of measures to uplift rundown estates.
507WThe council also proposes to dispose of 50 flats on the estate for refurbishment and resale for owner-occupation. We welcome this move to diversify the tenure on the estate and widen the housing choices in the area.
I have agreed to an additional capital allocation of £790,000 from the unit's targeted housing investment programme resources in 1986–87 to enable the council to undertake modernisation and security work on dwellings remaining in its ownership on the estate and to establish the local management office.
I look forward to seeing these proposals being put into effect for the benefit of all the residents of the estate.