Council 'Plotting to Get Rid of the Poor'

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MP claims housing plans are Shirley Porteresque

Local MP Andrew Slaughter has obtained documents which he claims show a concerted policy by Hammersmith & Fulham to socially engineer the borough in a 'plot to get rid of the poor.'

The Council's housing strategy includes proposals to demolish a number of housing estates in order to develop and ‘regenerate’ the sites. This would involve an increased number of privately owned properties within the areas currently occupied by the estates.

At the beginning of June the Council published its draft Local Development Framework (LDF) for consultation. The LDF stated that several council estates across the borough, containing 3,500 homes, are “not decent neighbourhoods”.

These include sizeable communities including the West Kensington Estate, the Gibbs Green Estate, the Queen Caroline Estate and the Ashcroft Square Estate.

This area includes more than 1,100 homes in total. A consultation group discussed a number of proposals including those to demolish the existing housing in order for the land to be ‘regenerated’. However according to a letter written by the Council to Cllr Cartwright earlier this year, the regeneration includes “private development opportunities."

The allegations recall the case of Westminster Council in which Dame Shirley Porter attempted to consolidate her party's control of the Council by moving tenants who were likely to support Labour into inferior properties which were already under Labour control and encourage private tenants to move into marginal wards.

Andy Slaughter MP told this site, "The targeted estates are places that all types of people wish to live – from pensioners and young families to first-time buyers and professionals. Many millions of pounds of public money have been spent on them under the Decent Homes programme. There is no need to destroy these communities. Residents are naturally furious at the proposals and don’t want to be forced into smaller homes at higher rents."

He added, "This is social engineering on a grand scale."

The leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, Stephen Greenhalgh was quoted as saying, ""It's ludicrous to talk about 'social cleansing'. That's rubbish from neanderthals in the Labour Party. Every time someone comes up with an idea on housing, they are branded as having an ulterior, nasty motive. I make no apology for having a bold vision. We are not stepping back and as and when we have specific plans, we will talk to people about it."

He denied there would be a reduction of the number of habitable rooms in any redevelopment in the Borough.

 

July 9, 2009