Plans to redevelop troubled estate

Feb 19 2009 by Marjorie Kerr, West Lothian Courier

A NEW strategy is set to be drawn up in a bid to redevelop the troubled Deans South housing estate.

West Lothian Council has agreed to look at the best options for revamping the area, which is now mainly unoccupied.

A report is set to be prepared on the best options for redeveloping the site, including investigating whether empty housing can now be demolished and whether repossessed housing can be bought back by the authority.

Officers were also asked to investigate whether an area of the site could be allocated for development by residents who wish to build their own homes and investigate compulsory purchase of the remaining occupied houses.

The council also agreed to contact all home owners in the area informing them of the authority’s position and proposals.

Executive councillor for services for the community, Frank Anderson, said the council is now keen to resolve the issue.

He said: “While we have been able to deal with re-housing tenants in a short period of time, we have not been able reach a satisfactory agreement with the majority of owners.

“This report will clearly set out our intentions and will help all parties reach a decision on the future of the estate.”

In November, The Courier told how some homeowners had become so fed up waiting for a resolution to the estate’s problems, they had lodged planning applications to demolish their houses and rebuild on the same site.

The issues with the former Livingston Development Corporation housing at Deans South came to light in 2004, when engineers stated the homes were built from defective materials and should be demolished.

Since then, all council tenants were moved out of the area and rehoused.

However, no agreement has been reached between the authorityand homeowners still living inthe estate.

Phil Cavan, spokesman for the homeowners said he is suspicious of the timing of the council’s latest announcement.

He said: “I welcome the fact the council are at last looking at compulsory purchase orders.

“We have been asking for them to do that for over three years, because if they do it means there would have to be a public inquiry and everything would be out in the open.

“However, it seems strange to me that all of a sudden the council is talking about demolishing the empty properties, when we were told three years ago that the houses couldn’t be knocked down because it would make the site too exposed and therefore unsafe.”

However, Councillor Anderson urged the residents to be open-minded and consider options put to them by the report.

He said: “We have approached the Scottish Government to ask if extra funding was available and have explored all the options put forward by the Deans South homeowners.

“Unfortunately none of the options were financially viable to the council.

“I would urge all Deans South homeowners to consider the options put forward and take whatever advice they feel is necessary, prior to making any commitment.

“West Lothian Council have explored all the options available and I think all parties need to work towards bringing this unfortunate situation to a conclusion.”