Report compiled by Kate Atkinson, Mark Lankshear, Rob Smith & Gaby Spinks
The Council have been consulting residents at different locations and meetings including the Fir Vale Forum, Burngreave Community Action Forum and the Area Panel meeting. Information will continue to be available at the New Deal information Shop on Spital Hill until 12th November. The Messenger has been to find out what people are saying around Burngreave…
Area Panel
The Burngreave Area Panel meeting on the 28th October 2004 was a well attended and, at times, angry meeting. People were worried about their homes and businesses: When would houses be knocked down? What price would they get for their home or business? Would they need to take on a new mortgage to afford the new properties? What about suitable Islamic mortgages?
In response to this Council Officers suggested that, after the master plan is agreed, many of these issues would be sorted out when an implementation plan is produced. Both Councillors present, Jackie Drayton and Ibrar Hussain made it clear that existing local businesses were important and needed to be taken into account in any plans.
The Council are planning a meeting after Ramadam for business owners to find out more. Contact Maria Duffy or Shanza Hussain 273 4992.
Owler Lane Fir Vale
“The Masterplan is a good thing.The area needs a bit of looking after.”
Three women waiting for a bus in Fir Vale were concerned about the changes:
“Doing the community consultation during Ramadan wasn’t a very good idea. Lots of people just stay at home.”
“It’s knocking down for the sake of knocking down. Old houses are generally better built than these new ones.”
“The new houses look horrible and don’t last as long as these. They’ll be knocked down 10 years later and then where will we be?”
The proprietor of One Stop Computers said:
“The Masterplan is mainly looking at the area near the Hospital, not at the real community near the Mosque and the Church. They want the area to look good but they aren’t really thinking of the people who live here.”
“It will be a shock to some of the older residents,” said a woman in the electrical shop.
While a former member of Fir Vale Forum said:
“Everyone seems to be neglecting the side roads. We’re spending our own money doing our properties up with no help from anyone.”
“It needs doing but it’s such a long process, and people are worried they’ll only be able to afford to do selected areas. I don’t know how I will be able to afford a new house with the money I’ll get for mine.” – Tammy Pear, Bagley Road
Spital Hill
Steve and Richard Bennett have run Bennett’s Tyres on Kilton Hill for 14 years, and don’t want to move from the area. But the plans hadn’t made note of their business and left the Bennetts with doubts about their future.
“As for the overall plans for Spital Hill, I think they’re a good idea, but they have to get them right first time,” added Richard.
Nelly Ramsey believes the plan for Spital Hill looks fine but she has more concerns about Woodside:
“I’m the only owner occupier left on Woodside, and I’m very happy to stay where I am. I haven’t had anything about Woodside through my door.”
Lloyds Pharmacy believe any improvement to the area is a bonus. “It looks really nice and I hope it’s coming all the way up Spital Hill. This will be really positive for the community,” said pharmacist Alba Ghelani.
At the bus stop on Burngreave Road, local lads Simon and Tyrone, aged 14, believe doing up Spital Hill is a good idea but mentioned the need for more activities and investment in them. “They need to do up Catherine Park at the back here and Nottingham Cliff,” added Tyrone.
Burngreave Off Licence suggested a supermarket catering for all foodstuffs was a good idea.
At the Information Shop, a family from Wade Street, Page Hall, had concerns about their home. “I’ve invested lots of money mate, and these plans propose to knock down our street.” The family were told they’d receive the market value plus ten percent for their 35-year investment in Wade Street if demolished. “This is an investment we made to pass onto our children and means we’d have to do it all again and at our age!” explained the family.
Mr Adam Heath said he had concerns about the plans to pedestrianise the shopping section of Ellesmere Road. This he believes will cause a drop in trade for many businesses there. “Maybe it should be a car park to service the shops and that indoor food market, which I think is a great idea.”
Information Shop
The BNDfC Information Shop has made the masterplans available so residents can call in and add their comments. Kate Atkinson went to speak to them about the response they’ve had. Zafar Iqbal explained:
“We’ve had a mixed response. The residents’ points of view, especially from Fir Vale and Skinnerthorpe areas where they’re facing demolition, have all been very negative. A lot have paid their mortgages and don’t know why they should move out and then back in and start again on a higher mortgage. A lot are quite emotional.”
“We haven’t had many complaints from business owners. But the purpose of the Spital Hill redevelopment is not to extinguish business but to provide better accommodation.”
“These are only proposals, people think they are the actual plans, but these are set to be approved by the council in January 2005.”
Another worker said he represented the views of everyone when he said:
“People think they are being pushed out, and that they won’t be able to afford the new house prices. People have been in here screaming and shouting, we have to calm them down. An elderly couple who came in have paid all their mortgage off and are in the middle of building a £9,000 conservatory. So, they’re not very happy.”
“People are happy with things like the new fruit market and they don’t mind new flats but they’re scared they aren’t going to be given to them.”