Mill Farm Close redevelopment sparked by lack of funding (From Harrow Times)

Mill Farm Close redevelopment sparked by lack of funding

3:36pm Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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A PINNER estate is likely to be handed to a private company because the council cannot afford vital repair work.

Harrow Council is obliged to bring its housing up to minimum Government standards by December as part of a programme known as Decent Homes.

Flats in Mill Farm Close fall below the standard but the authority does not have the cash to pay for improvement work so the whole estate will be taken over by Catalyst Communities Housing Group.

The company plans a total rebuild, involving the construction of 193 homes, which will be larger, more energy efficient and suitable for people with disabilities.

Leading councillors are due to make a decision on whether to approve the transfer of ownership in a meeting next Thursday, but a report by officers says they have little choice.

It says the authority has “insufficient” funding to carry out the redevelopment and even the bare minimum needed to achieve Decent Homes standards would lead to a “funding gap”.

During a consultation around 90 per cent of tenants and leaseholders backed the rebuild, which will also include a children's play area and is designed to be less vulnerable to crime and anti-social behaviour.

The estate currently has 110 flats and most residents in social rented housing will continue under the same scheme.

But some have already said they will move elsewhere and a number of private flats will also be built.