Norfolk Court Demolition

[johnboy]

They don't really have a choice.........But I imagine new gorbals housing don't want to be seen as the bad guys forcing people out of their homes.

[RapidAssistant]

This should drag on fro a wee while now.........I'm told some tenants are not for moving.

At the risk of sounding harsh - do they have a choice? Is it perhaps some of those who bought under right to buy that are holding out for a better deal?

Pretty sure though that there is legislation somewhere that if push comes to shove, the council can slap a compulsory purchase order on them at the market rate of the property to get them out, and if the building has structural issues then that gives them more ammunition to do so. I doubt though that anyone owns any of the flats in those blocks - it's really hard to get a mortgage on a flat within a multi unless its in the centre of London, or unless the whole building is privately owned.

Even so it's likely to be worth as much as yesterday's newspaper so if I was them I'd take the money and move!

[The Egg Man]

I'm reminded of the wifey out near the Commonwealth Games site who held up work whilst she argued for a better deal.

However, back to Norfolk Court and multis in general. I know some folk who used their Right to Buy discount (70% I believe) to buy what was already valued at quite a low price for cash. If their council decides to demolish their tower block and use compulsory purchase orders to force them out, their payment is likely to be no more than £20,000 - £30,000. A great deal more than they paid for the flat but nowhere near enough to buy somewhere else to live.

[RapidAssistant]

I'm reminded of the wifey out near the Commonwealth Games site who held up work whilst she argued for a better deal.

However, back to Norfolk Court and multis in general. I know some folk who used their Right to Buy discount (70% I believe) to buy what was already valued at quite a low price for cash. If their council decides to demolish their tower block and use compulsory purchase orders to force them out, their payment is likely to be no more than £20,000 - £30,000. A great deal more than they paid for the flat but nowhere near enough to buy somewhere else to live.

Interesting all the same, I guess it isn't that big a deal if there are relatively small numbers of
people in a tower block in that very situation - taking a few hits of £20k-£30k per flat isn't really that much in the context of the millions it usually costs to pay a demolition contractor to do a blow-down (the Hilltown estate in Dundee cost £3.7m to demolish last year, for example).

Is Norfolk Court to be saved though? It has all gone quiet as people muse over the Red Road and the Gallowgate Twins scheduled to meet their maker before 2014. We have seen similar U-turns over 'condemned' multis before, such as with the Ibroxholm Oval and the Anderston Centre trio.

[The Egg Man]

I wonder if recent rethinking on demolishing multis is down to changes in the financial support available from Holyrood for social housing new build.

Up until last year(?) it was in the order of £60,000 per home built. Now it's £40,000 per home. This means a number of the calculations made in previous years regarding re-housing those displaced from the multis no long add up.

[RapidAssistant]

Interesting though I was looking in the GSPC guide a wee while ago, and there was a 2-bedroom flat going in one of the Dundasvale multis for £78,000 (think it was quite high up, maybe 12th or 18th) - but an absolute steal for the money - as you are near as dammit smack in the middle of town, given anything comparable in a new build (or even some tenements for that matter) in a central location is £200k+

[bAzTNM]

Dundasvale is a bit of a dive though. Is that the one near Port Dundas?

[maximusmop]

dundasvale is not a dive, i grew up there it is poorly managed by queens cross tho.

[The Egg Man]

It looks a lot more attractive than ever it did but I don't suppose that's much of an indicator of being a dive or otherwise.

[Dexter St. Clair]

bAzTNM has his own definitions and was probably menaced by a group of slinty eyed local residents.

[bAzTNM]

bAzTNM has his own definitions and was probably menaced by a group of slinty eyed local residents.

How did you guess? They threw ninja stars at me.

[cell]

bAzTNM has his own definitions and was probably menaced by a group of slinty eyed local residents.

How did you guess? They threw ninja stars at me.

bAzTNM, for god’s sake, please stay indoors for your own safety!

[HelenD]

Not gone yet...

[RapidAssistant]

Another reason why these demolitions take so long to happen also is that some residents (many of whom have been there since Day One) dig their heels in and stay put until they get decanted to somewhere they actually want to live - friend of a friend says this is what has been happening at Red Road and at Bluevale/Whitevale.

[HelenD]

Now the next ones in the Gorbals are to be Sandiefield, I wonder if Safedem shall secure that job?

I see Coleman are in possession of these two blocks.