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I would just like to say that the new building to replace the York Street flats is (in my humble opinion) a very fine proposal to re-house the exisitng tenants while providing modern standards – fire safety central heating etc. The exisitng buildings had single aspect flats – the new scheme will provide much brighter and airier accommodation.
The scheme is by Howley Harrington (not sure which half is now doing the scheme as Howley and Harrington have gone their separate ways) and also includes the retention of the park / garden area at the back and the addition of some sheltered housing on the other side. I hope the architect has managed to hold on to the good ideas in the face of Local Authority bureaucracy and miniscule budgets .
20% Social / Affordable Housing (now law under Part V of the Planning Act 2000) is typical of our right wing government – their policy is they have no policy – let the private sector do it for us. I have no problem with the private sector contributing to social projects in the same manner as income tax is used for the benefit of all but when the government were casting around for a sector of society altruistic and generous enough to be united with tehm in their aim to provide affordable housing to the less well off members of society how did they ever hit on property developers as the likely candidates? The scheme is unworkable as private industry is by its nature motivated by profit not social gain.
