Social animal

Mersey mischief

Housing in Merseyside will never be the same again. No, this is not the latest cri de coeur over planned demolitions by Liverpool’s market renewal pathfinder, but reaction to the news that former Chartered Institute of Housing president John McHale is to step down as chief executive of Knowsley Housing Trust in December.

John has never been short of a wisecrack. On a visit to Knowsley, when your correspondent was feeling decidedly worse for wear after being shown the attractions of Liverpool the night before, McHale was unable to resist taking his guest on a tour of an estate with enough speed-bumps to upset the most iron of stomachs. Thanks. You won’t be forgotten.

California dreamin’

The North-east of England and California don’t strike Social Animal as being very similar places, but according to a new report, Tees Valley has a Los Angeles-style future. While the region can probably forget about staging the Oscars, the final draft of Tees Valley Living’s Housing Market Assessment suggests planners should think Hollywood when they’re building.

The report argues that because of its accessibility by car, and its difficult geography for public transport, “its future is arguably more ‘Los Angeles’ than the traditional European model”.

Reports that Universal Studios is relocating to Middlesbrough are still awaiting confirmation.

Tiny acorns

The housing world is full of promotional freebees, as many a groaning stand at Harrogate proves. However, among the coasters and teacups, there is now one which aims to make the world a better place. Manchester council’s pens promoting their antisocial behaviour crackdown are designed to beautify your neighbourhood and could turn the city into dense woodland as a result.

Once the pen has dried up, the owner can take the top off and plant it, and the seed inside becomes a lovely tree. It’s probably the only time you could drop a pen on the ground in the city without having an ASBO slapped on you.

You’ve got to hand it to them

Confusion reigned at Tower Hamlets as councillors voted to transfer an estate to a housing association last week. Labour and Lib Dem councillors made much of Respect councillor Oli Rahman’s vote in favour of the transfer to East End Homes. This was despite Respect’s policy nationally of defending council housing on all fronts. However, Rahman’s explanation suggested all was not quite as it seemed. “I made a genuine mistake,” he told Social Animal.

“I’d left the room and when I came back in I thought it was the vote to oppose the transfer and raised my hand.”