§ The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker)My right honourable friend the First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
I am delighted to announce the award of a total of £192.5 million to three more housing market renewal pathfinders over the next two years to implement their strategic schemes. The funding comes from the £500 million market renewal fund announced in February 2003 in Sustainable Communities: building for the future.
The investment from the market renewal fund will be complemented by significant investment from other public programmes and the private sector. This will enable actions to be taken which will lead to the creation of long-term sustainable communities.
The allocation of resources to these schemes marks another key step in our commitment to deliver thriving sustainable communities in those areas devastated by low demand housing and abandonment.
I am announcing today that the South Yorkshire market renewal pathfinder will receive £71 million, that the east Lancashire market renewal pathfinder will receive £68 million and that Oldham and Rochdale market renewal pathfinder will receive £53.5 million until March 2006 to help to tackle the terrible problems caused by low demand. This is in addition to an allocation of £4 million each for an early action programme which they received in June 2003.
By March 2006 the pathfinders expect to deliver:
In South Yorkshire, the demolition of over 1,600 homes; the refurbishment of over 2,000 homes; over 100 new homes built; significant improvements to housing environments affecting 21,000 homes; and additional management measures to over 16,000 homes.In east Lancashire, the demolition of almost 800 homes; the refurbishment of 1,100 homes; over 100 new homes built; significant improvements to housing environments affecting 43,000 homes; and additional management measures to over 73,000 homes,In Oldham and Rochdale, the demolition of nearly 300 houses; the acquisition of over 400 homes; the refurbishment of over 350 homes; significant improvements to housing environments affecting over 3,000 homes; and additional management measures to over 11,000 homes.Each of the pathfinder schemes has been independently scrutinised by the Audit Commission, which has published a report on each scheme. The Audit Commission has looked at the evidence base and the proposed strategy to help to ensure that the 48WS schemes are realistic, offer value for money and will deliver long-term housing market renewal. To meet this aim, the Audit Commission has made a number of recommendations about each scheme. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and each pathfinder have accepted all the recommendations and funding will depend on compliance.