§ Mr. Thorntonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has yet reached a decision on Knowsley council's admission to the urban housing renewal unit on the Hillside, New Hutte and Tower Hill estates: and when he next intends to visit Knowsley.
§ Sir George YoungWhile speaking at Knowsley's housing conference today I was pleased to be able to announce my right hon. Friend's favourable response to the proposals for schemes on the Hillside and New Hutte estates. He has also agreed to fund a consultation exercise with the tenants as a first stage towards a scheme on the Tower hill estate.
The comprehensive package of proposals for these schemes which have been worked up in close consultation with my Department's urban housing renewal unit and the Merseyside task force include:
effective locally based management arrangements; the active involvement of residents in future decision-making;environmental and structural improvements; and much needed repairs and security works.Hillside Estate, Huyton
One of the many benefits for this post-war estate of 721 dwellings will be the provision of a local estate-based office dealing with day to day management and repairs. The cost of providing this office will be met by a targeted urban programme grant from the unit's resources. This grant will also cover essential repairs and security improvements to the existing dwellings. The grant will total £142,000. We expect that the work force provided by NACRO's managing agency to undertake the work will he recruited from the local community.
We have also agreed in principle to a targeted housing investment programme allocation of £125,000 to meet the cost of converting 16 houses into 32 single-person flats and for repairs to the external fabric of nearly half the dwellings on the estate.
The cost of refurbishing the shopping parade will he met from Knowsley's existing urgan renewal programme.
New Hutte, Halewood
We are pleased to give approval in principle to a housing investment allocation of £100,000 in 1986–87 to cover the cost of repair works to deal with the growing problem of water penetration in the maisonettes.
A two-year project by the Co-operative Development Services will actively encourage residents to participate in this redevelopment programme and will reinstate a sense of community spirit and pride in the estate. UHRU urban programme funding in the region of £122,000 will help 239W finance this scheme and will also facilitate the provision of security measures to decks and stairways and comprehensive environmental improvements including remodelling of open spaces.
A further benefit to the estate will be the provision of a locally based office providing a comprehensive range of housing services. I regard this as an essential component of the package in order to sustain the improvements being made through other measures.
I am greatly encouraged by the development of these proposals which are yet more examples of the excellent progress being made as a result of close co-operation between a local authority and my Department's urban housing renewal unit.