Residents Take PFI to Council Leader

9.00.07pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 26th Jul 2006

Residents opposed to the demolition of their homes as part of the housing PFI in Miles Platting have taken their fight directly to the Leader of Manchester Council, Sir Richard Leese.

At today's Council Executive meeting, residents facing the loss of their homes spoke out in favour of the regeneration of their area, but called for their homes to be saved and improved along with all the others.

Under current plans 278 homes are set to be demolished as part of a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) covering the Miles Platting, Ancoats and Collyhurst areas.

Councillor Marc Ramsbottom, local Parliamentary Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, has backed their campaign from the start, and spoke at today's meeting, calling for the plans to be changed to allow these homes to be saved. He also criticised the lack of resident involvement in agreeing the final plans.

He said:

"The Steering Group has not met for over 6 months, and therefore residents have had no meaningful input into shaping their own community. The Council has not listened to those local people who want their homes saved. This investment is good news for the area, but residents should be in the driving seat in shaping the future of the area."

He also criticised the plans for not providing enough family homes in the plans:

"Over 30% of the new properties being built will be flats and apartments, when what we need is more family houses. The housing waiting is growing day by day and decent people are waiting years to get a house. There should be more provision for houses with gardens and fewer flats".

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