The Council has submitted a bid to the government for new council houses in Burngreave and Fir Vale.
The bid included 23 new family houses for the Ellesmere site, where the Old People’s Home used to be. At the last minute, Earl Marshal was added for a further 20 houses. The bid was submitted in October – the result will be announced in December. If it is successful the houses will be completed by March 2012.
No private developer for Earl Marshal
At Earl Marshal, formerly the site of Council flats, the Council have been attempting to sell the site to a developer to build between 60 and 80 new homes. Despite a number of attempts, no developers have taken on the project. Skinnerthorpe residents under threat of demolition have been waiting for new houses to be built so they could move into them. After 4 years, only a few families remain and, although there could be new houses, they will not be available to buy.
Councillor Bob McCann, Cabinet Member for Housing, said:
“The original date for the Earl Marshal development will have to be revised in light of not securing a developer, but provided that we are successful in our bid, houses will be built by 2012. These houses would be built to high environmental standards, meaning lower fuel bills for tenants.”