Birmingham council says new build flats not good enough for council tennants.

Graham_Devon

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2009/09/16/birmingham-city-council-refuses-to-buy-city-centre-apartments-because-they-don-t-meet-their-standards-97319-24699925/

Thought this was interesting. Developers desperate to get shot of 2 bed "apartments" in Birmingham approached the council. The council have said the apartments are too close together, poorly built and not good enough for council tennants.

Cabinet housing member John Lines said the quality of the flats, many in the city centre, did not begin to match most council stock. He told a scrutiny committee: “We have been offered some of these flats, but they’re not even comparable to our council homes. “They’re not good enough for our people.”

Will all this see the end of the rabbit hutch homes?

Funny that the same council will have given permission to these "slums".

Really2

Graham_Devon wrote: »

The council have said the apartments are too close together

Now that line is funny. From what I know about apartments (not a lot there is not many where I live)
They tend to be, next to another apartment, and tend to have apartments either above or below them or both.

Not seen many detached apartments.:)

The council would not even have the money to purchase them anyway.They would not have budgeted for them.

sound's like a crossed councillor to speak out like that. Not a great way to support a local development or people who have the flats.

Some times it is better not to speak out, as Graham said they gave planning permission, so in reality it is their doing as they gave their approval.

Lotus-eater

What's interesting about this, is the flats that will be built in the future, no one seems to be thinking about it atm.
Bigger flats and apartments via PP seem a certainty, ie less buildings for living are going to be built.
Together with the lack of building atm, this can only lead to a housing shortage in the future, which surely will mean a massive expansion and government campaign to build lots and lots of houses....... can you see where this is going, I think we've been here before

Yakubu22

Really2 wrote: »

Now that line is funny. From what I know about apartments (not a lot there is not many where I live)
They tend to be, next to another apartment, and tend to have apartments either above or below them or both.

Not seen many detached apartments.:)

The council would not even have the money to purchase them anyway.They would not have budgeted for them.

sound's like a crossed councillor to speak out like that. Not a great way to support a local development or people who have the flats.

Some times it is better not to speak out, as Graham said they gave planning permission, so in reality it is their doing as they gave their approval.

As someone who lives in a new build [STRIKE]apartment[/STRIKE] slum. I can confirm they are close together. I think this just proves the level of idiocy plaguing are country today

Really2

Yakubu22 wrote: »

As someone who lives in a new build [STRIKE]apartment[/STRIKE] slum. I can confirm they are close together. I think this just proves the level of idiocy plaguing are country today

Genuine question though as I really don't know. Are not all apartments close together?

I just think of a block of flats when taking about "apartments"

Lotus-eater

Yakubu22 wrote: »

As someone who lives in a new build [STRIKE]apartment[/STRIKE] slum. I can confirm they are close together. I think this just proves the level of idiocy plaguing are country today

What really2 was saying is that they can't be physically closer together, it's impossible, they can be smaller however ...

lostinrates

Really2 wrote: »

...they gave planning permission, so in reality it is their doing as they gave their approval.

I become increasingly disillusioned with planning decisions. As I was starting from a low level of confidence this really is somewhat depressing.

This week we viewed a house we would buy, if it were not for banally perverse planning restricions, appealed against twice by the vendors.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

but they’re not even comparable to our council homes.

Indeed. Some of the residents of the newbuild flats actually have a job.

Can't have that "work ethic" corrupting the benefits addicts now can we.

I mean, if that happened, who would vote for you at the next election?

Really2

Lotus-eater wrote: »

What really2 was saying is that they can't be physically closer together, it's impossible, they can be smaller however ...

Get it now, say 6 apartments on a floor where there would be say 4 20 years ago. (I would personally call that crammed in, not too close together )

I bet they will still pay housing benefit for one even though they are not good enough for people lucky enough to have a council house.

You got to love the councils morals.

Lotus-eater

Lotus-eater wrote: »

What really2 was saying is that they can't be physically closer together, it's impossible, they can be smaller however ...

Mind you, thinking about the thicknesses of some of the walls in new builds, I'm not sure I'm correct here.

Yakubu22

Lotus-eater wrote: »

What really2 was saying is that they can't be physically closer together, it's impossible, they can be smaller however ...

I know...I was being flippant with regards the statement from Brummie council. :beer: