14/4/2008£24 M new homes 'will revive community spirit'
A MULTI-MILLION pound housing programme in Glasgow will help tackle antisocial behaviour and rekindle community spirit.
That's the hope of politicians and residents' groups as they look forward to the first families moving into 239 new-build homes in Avonspark Street, Petershill, and Rye Road and Mansel Street, Balornock.
The Evening Times yesterday revealed how the £24.5million scheme - the first phase of Glasgow Housing Association's £300m masterplan to build nearly 3000 new properties for social renting - would house families from nearby Sighthill.
Today those involved in the project said the new homes and jobs created would help rejuvenate an area with a poor reputation.
Communities and Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell said: "We've learned lessons from the past - the high-rise flats did not work, people did not really like living in them.
"GHA has listened to the concerns the community has and will attempt to accommodate them.
"The designs of previous buildings lent themselves to anti-social behaviour and it was allowed to fester. But hopefully now that there's been genuine involvement in the planning, people will view these flats differently.
"Hopefully they can remain in good condition and be treated with respect."
CCG (Scotland) was awarded the phase one contract and will provide 30 apprenticeships - 12 to people from the area.
Every youngster who completes the four-year training programme will be given a permanent job by CCG.
Mr Maxwell said: "We're giving young people jobs and opportunities to help create a legacy in this area."
Tom Bennett, chairman of Unity, one of the three Local Housing Organisations which will manage the properties on behalf of GHA, believes the project is exactly what the northeast of Glasgow needs.
He said: "The good thing is that the community has been involved with this from the beginning.
"We told the architects what we wanted, which was basically the same as private accommodation.
"I think the project is just what is needed to kickstart the regeneration of this area - Balornock has a reputation for crime and anti-social behaviour and it's not deserved.
"They are good people here and they deserve accommodation that is as good as any in Glasgow."
Families will be chosen in the next few weeks and will begin moving in in October.
The new homes will be at most three storeys high with 48 flats and the rest either terraced houses or four in a block.
Feb 19
That's the hope of politicians and residents' groups as they look forward to the first families moving into 239 new-build homes in Avonspark Street, Petershill, and Rye Road and Mansel Street, Balornock.
The Evening Times yesterday revealed how the £24.5million scheme - the first phase of Glasgow Housing Association's £300m masterplan to build nearly 3000 new properties for social renting - would house families from nearby Sighthill.
Today those involved in the project said the new homes and jobs created would help rejuvenate an area with a poor reputation.
Communities and Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell said: "We've learned lessons from the past - the high-rise flats did not work, people did not really like living in them.
"GHA has listened to the concerns the community has and will attempt to accommodate them.
"The designs of previous buildings lent themselves to anti-social behaviour and it was allowed to fester. But hopefully now that there's been genuine involvement in the planning, people will view these flats differently.
"Hopefully they can remain in good condition and be treated with respect."
CCG (Scotland) was awarded the phase one contract and will provide 30 apprenticeships - 12 to people from the area.
Every youngster who completes the four-year training programme will be given a permanent job by CCG.
Mr Maxwell said: "We're giving young people jobs and opportunities to help create a legacy in this area."
Tom Bennett, chairman of Unity, one of the three Local Housing Organisations which will manage the properties on behalf of GHA, believes the project is exactly what the northeast of Glasgow needs.
He said: "The good thing is that the community has been involved with this from the beginning.
"We told the architects what we wanted, which was basically the same as private accommodation.
"I think the project is just what is needed to kickstart the regeneration of this area - Balornock has a reputation for crime and anti-social behaviour and it's not deserved.
"They are good people here and they deserve accommodation that is as good as any in Glasgow."
Families will be chosen in the next few weeks and will begin moving in in October.
The new homes will be at most three storeys high with 48 flats and the rest either terraced houses or four in a block.
Feb 19