Hull spends £92m to refurbish homes – then knocks them down

Hundreds of homes that have only recently undergone a £92m refurbishment may be demolished because of lack of demand.

In its last two years, Hull council's former Labour administration spent £92m on fitting double glazing and central heating in 500 of its homes following a £225m windfall from the sale of its stake in Kingston Communications.

These homes, on the Orchard Park Estate, are now all set to be knocked down as part of a mass demolition programme. The programme is designed to deal with problems of low demand in the city as part of the government's market renewal pathfinder scheme.

Under Hull's plans a total of up to 2500 homes are set for demolition, including five council estates and some private sector homes. On the Orchard Park Estate the remodelling of 200 homes is under way and some residents have moved out to another part of the estate to allow work on their homes to proceed.

The North Bransholme Estate was also already set to be remodelled into an "urban village scene" chosen by residents. In the past year some of the homes of the estate have been fitted with double glazing and central heating.

Chris Jarvis, the council's cabinet member for housing, said: "We're in a ridiculous position in which many of the council officers who authorised the refurbishments are now recommending the homes are demolished."

Should the demolitions go ahead, they will affect 500 homes in North Bransholme, 430 in Preston Road and 480 from the Ings Road area.

According to Jarvis, the question of where residents will go when their homes are being demolished has yet to be answered.

He said: "This is going to throw housing officers into disarray. Until we review the housing department and bring about changes I'm not sure the administration will be up to implementing this."

A spokesperson for Hull council said: "Decisions as to the exact number and location of properties will not be made until there has been full consultation with residents."

In May an Audit Commission report found the council's housing revenue teetering on the brink of insolvency. The blame has been laid on the previous Labour administration which lost control of the council last May (HT 20 June 2002, pages 16-18).