The ongoing scandal of Hospital Close continues, with the Council owned houses still boarded up five years since key workers were told to leave their homes adjacent to Leicester General
Not only this, but on Leicester Green Party checking how many of the 135 houses and flats will be fully or partially accessible homes, we were initially told by the deputy mayor and Saffton councillor Elly Cutkelvin that none would be !!
Leicester Greens reminded the council it is a legal requirement that at least 10% of any housing development is accessible. This is the absolute minimum all developers must do, so, were the proposals implemented in their current form, the council would be breaking the law.
Not only this , but the council should be aiming far higher than this, and leading the way with accessible, climate resilient and zero carbon affordable housing.
The council hastily confirmed there would be the minimum 10% accessible housing, but Ursula Bilson from the Green Party said:
“There are people across the city needing accessible council housing who are being let down and excluded, and are told there is no suitable housing available.
The waiting time to have existing council homes adapted is nine years, and it is much cheaper to build accessible in the first place , rather than adapt.”
Hospital Close gives the Council an opportunity to show the way and ensure all of the houses are fully accessible or built to “homes for life“ standards, which allow for easy cheap renovation so that elderly and disabled people can stay in their homes.
It is really disappointing the council are creating a new refurbished estate beside a special school, which can’t house many of the children at that school. What message does this send to the community?
The Green Party policies supports higher levels of accessible , warm and climate ready housing for all.”