Housing stock survey to protect Kingsholm’s family homes is delayed by council red-tape

Cllr. Angela Conder and Cllr. Jeremy Hilton at Oxford Road. One of the roads most affected by the loss of family homes being converted into Houses in Multiple Occupation

A promised housing stock survey in Kingsholm has been delayed yet again by council red-tape. The latest excuse was provided by the Conservative cabinet member in a written answer to a question from Lib Dem councillor for Kingsholm, Cllr. Jeremy Hilton.

The survey is planned so that the council can provide definitive evidence that too many family homes in Kingsholm are being converted into Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

A 130-signature petition was handed into the cabinet by Jeremy Hilton in November 2020.

The Petition said:

“Too many family homes in Kingsholm are being converted into Houses in Multiple Occupation, without planning permission being required. It is currently permitted development for six persons or less.

I/We the undersigned demand that the city council starts work immediately on preparing evidence and documentation to apply to the Secretary of State to give Kingsholm the protection of an Article 4 Direction. This means that all conversions of family homes into Houses in Multiple Occupation would require planning permission.”

Cllr. Jeremy Hilton said:

“Lib Dems tried to amend the council plan in July 2020 to get the work started on a housing stock survey, but the Conservatives voted it down.

“That is why I raised an online petition to get public support. I handed it in at the November 2020 cabinet.

“Shortly afterwards, I met officers who suggested we schedule the survey work for April this year. Then it was delayed until the summer to be part of a countywide housing survey.

“Now the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy says there have been delays because of legal queries and the tender documents haven’t been issued. It is ridiculous, the word incompetence comes to mind.

The written question and the answer published in the council papers of the 23rd of September 2021

Kingsholm ward colleague, Cllr. Angela Conder (Lib Dem) said:

“Kingsholm residents are frustrated by the Conservative council’s reluctance to treat Kingsholm as a special case. We see the onward creep of Houses in Multiple Occupation and the damage done to the community. Parking, noise and litter all contribute to the degradation of our once-quiet streets.”

Jeremy Hilton concluded:

“It is very frustrating trying to get projects implemented at the city council. We are given dates, then later dates and then sometime never. The Conservatives have cut back so far, nothing seems to get done on time. The council has accurately been described as the ‘vanishing council’.

“This housing stock survey is critical in getting our planning rules toughened up to protect Kingsholm’s family homes. It cannot be delayed further by red-tape or more accurately blue-tape.”

67/69 London Road – some slow progress

Jeremy Hilton with the run down buildings on London Road in the background

On the 27^th of July I met a representative of Pall Mall Estates, the owners of 67/69 London Road with the leader of the city council. Yesterday I had a telephone conversation to follow up on our recent email communications.

There has been some progress and Pall Mall have commissioned an architect to look at options for the site whether they be the conversion of the existing building or demolition and new build. Both for residential purposes.

The site is allocated for 30 dwellings in the city plan. Pall Mall are looking for 70 to 100 units. I think there are trying to squeeze too much onto the site and have told them so.

Here are the answers to some questions I put to Pall Mall

Cllr Hilton – Did the city council provide you with a list of its contacts from registered social landlords?

Pall Mall – Yes

Cllr Hilton – Have you had any successful negotiations with Registered Social Landlord to progress a housing scheme for the site?

Pall Mall – Not yet, albeit RSL focus has deviated away from apartment development meantime due to Covid. We anticipate this will be revived in due course.

Cllr Hilton – How many housing units do you think would make a viable project?

Pall Mall – Depending upon proposals (i.e. holistic new build or part conversion / part new build), tenure and end product we are looking in the region of 70-100 homes.

Cllr Hilton – Have you made contact with Homes England about securing some public funds?

Pall Mall – Developer/RSL to make enquiries.

Cllr Hilton – What value do you need to get from the sale. I have heard £4 million?

Pall Mall – Yes.

Cllr Hilton – Have you had since we met any non-housing enquiries?

Pall Mall – None I can recollect.

GLEVUM GREEN (REDROW) – STREET CLEANING – LORRIES

I have been in contact with the site manager of Glevum Green housing development. In particular, I have expressed concern about the cleaning of neighbouring streets to clear the mud from the roads and the use of the Wotton Pitch route along Denmark by lorries visiting the construction site.

Redrow contractor cleaning Kingsholm Road

STREET CLEANING

Road sweeping Schedule has been increased due to the wet weather. The road sweeper is now in use during working hours every day Monday to Friday. Redrow tell me they have introduced extra measures to reduce mud reaching the road. A bowser has been introduced to wash the wheels of vehicles leaving the site.

Approved route for lorries visiting development site

TRANSPORT ROUTE

Lorries should NOT be travelling to and from the site via the London Road direction. All vehicles should arrive and leave by accessing Kingsholm Road. See the approved route map. Redrow have told me they have reminded their groundworks contractors of the approved route to the site and the banksman team at the dispatch end have been told to remind drivers of the approved exit route.

If you do see lorries travelling down Denmark Road from Wotton Pitch/London Road try and capture a photo or record their number plate and email me at Jeremy.hilton@gloucestershire.gov.uk with time and date and I will report the matter to the site manager for you.

Petition to save family homes in Kingsholm handed in by Jeremy Hilton

Jeremy Hilton on Oxford Road one of the areas with large number of HMOs. The road is full of ‘to let’ signs right now.

Lib Dem councillor Jeremy Hilton has handed into the city cabinet, the petition he raised, calling for the protection of family homes in Kingsholm. There is much concern about the number of homes now being converted into Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

Currently, family homes converted into HMOs for six persons or fewer do not require planning permission, as it is permitted development.

Family homes are being converted into properties suitable for renting and this can lead to issues with noise, rubbish and parking.

There can also be problems with getting landlords to deal with incidents of anti-social behaviour.

Earlier this year Jeremy Hilton and Isabel Brazil tried to amend the council’s work plan to start on the survey work, which is required as precursor to getting an Article 4 Direction. But the Tories voted it down.

An Article 4 Direction would require all conversions to HMO’s to have planning permission.

In addressing the cabinet, Jeremy Hilton urged that the cabinet start work now not later. He pointed out that once the council has got an Article 4 Direction, it will still be another 12 months before it would come into force.

Jeremy Hilton said: “There are too many modest family homes in Kingsholm being converted into HMO’s, by absentee landlords. They are just trying to maximise their income. They don’t care about a balanced community. Already, Oxford Road, St Mark Street and Henry Road for example are being overrun by HMO conversions. We need proper regulation. The cabinet must now act on my petition.”

The online petition raised 130 signatures mostly from Kingsholm residents.

It has been backed by Lib Dem campaigner and resident Angela Conder, a signatory to the petition. She said: “I love living in Kingsholm, but I am worried that new HMOs are being established at far too fast a pace. Rightly, residents are worried about unregulated change that is taking place. We need an Article 4 Direction.”

The petition was received by the cabinet member for communities and neighbourhoods. She promised to respond to its request.

Lib Dem councillor Isabel Brazil concluded: “If St Paul’s in Cheltenham can have an Article 4 Direction, requiring planning permission for all new HMOs, then so can Kingsholm. We must protect our community from unregulated change.”

New petition calls for change to planning rules for Houses in Multiple Occupation

Kingsholm Liberal Democrats have launched a new petition to stop the area being overwhelmed by Houses in Multiple Occupation.

Family homes are being converted into properties suitable for renting and can lead to issues with noise, rubbish and parking.

There can also be problems with getting landlords to deal with incidents of anti-social behaviour.

Current planning rules do not require permission for new HMOs of less than six people.

Areas such as St Paul’s in Cheltenham have an Article 4 Direction, which requires planning permission for all new HMOs.

Liberal Democrat councillors Jeremy Hilton and Isabel Brazil recently tried in vain to persuade the Tory administration on the city council to do a housing stock survey immediately, which would be a precursor to an Article 4 designation for Kingsholm.

Councillor Isabel Brazil said: “It has been noticeable that in recent times more and more family homes in Kingsholm are being converted into Houses in Multiple Occupation.

“This is changing the nature of the community as absentee landlords buy up homes and let rooms to individuals to maximise their income.”

Councillor Jeremy Hilton added: “We are raising a petition to demand that the city council starts work right now on preparing the evidence to apply for Article 4 Direction to the Secretary of State.

“We cannot have Kingsholm overrun by HMOs, we need a fair balance.”

The petition can be signed here

Jeremy Hilton renews call for new comprehensive school in the north of Gloucester

Closed by the Tories. Jeremy Hilton outside former Bishop’s College. A lost opportunity to build new comprehensive school here.

Jeremy Hilton has reiterated calls for a new secondary school to be built in the north of the city.

It comes after forecasts prepared by the Department for Education reveal a shortfall of 477 secondary school places in Gloucester by 2023/24.

Across the country 130,000 children are at risk of missing out on a secondary school place over the next five years, according to the Local Government Association.

Rising birth rates and the thousands of new homes built at Kingsway and Cooper’s Edge has seen increasing pressure for primary school places in Gloucester.

But with thousands of new homes planned on the outskirts of Gloucester – at Innsworth, Churchdown and Brockworth as part of the Joint Core Strategy – there will be further demand on school places.

Gloucester Liberal Democrats have long argued there was a need for a new non-selective secondary school in the north of the city as children not attending either Sir Thomas Rich’s or Denmark Road High School for Girls, having to travel to Churchdown, Brockworth, Tewkesbury, Newent, the south of Gloucester or further afield.

Jeremy Hilton said the school should have been built on the former Bishop’s College site in Longlevens but housing is now being built there instead.

When Jeremy and Gloucester Lib Dems first called for a new comprehensive secondary school in the north of Gloucester the then Conservative county council cabinet member for children and young people dismissed it as a “pre-election stunt”.

But the need for a new secondary school in Gloucester has now been supported by a report prepared by the county council.

The Gloucester City School Places Review said the need for extra primary school places would be met by expanding existing schools and agreements with housing developers to build additional schools.

But with secondary schools the review states that there is a “significant shortfall of places from 2022” and a new site for a secondary school in Gloucester should be found.

The report also says that existing secondary schools should be expanded where possible.

Councillor Jeremy Hilton, said:

“When we first questioned which secondary schools the children living in all the new family homes being built on the outskirts of Gloucester would go to, the Tories just dismissed our concern.

“With so many houses planned because of the Joint Core Strategy it was obvious there was going to be further pressure on primary and secondary school places in Gloucester.

“The Department for Education’s own forecasts support this, and the county council has now realised what we have been saying all along about the need for a new comprehensive secondary school.

”It is vital that this school is non-selective. A genuine, high performing comprehensive school. There is no need for any further grammar school places. The grammars are already taking far too many pupils that live outside the city and even outside Gloucestershire. The new comprehensive school must be built to serve those that live in the north of Gloucester.”

Ends…

Empty offices leave public services £700,000 short in lost business rates

Isabel Brazil & Jeremy Hilton chat with 69 London Road in background

Gloucester City Council has been unable to collect nearly £700,000 in business rates because two office blocks in Gloucester have been laid empty for years.

The HM Revenue & Customs reduced the rateable value on 67 and 69 London Road to zero meaning the owners, Pall Mall Estates, do not have to pay business rates on either property.

It is understood that HMRC reduced the valuation to zero on the August 29, 2011.

Before the reduction the rateable value of both properties stood at £269,500 and meant that business rates were worth £118,732 per year to Gloucester City Council.

The properties were subject to a debate at the city council in May led by Liberal Democrat councillors Jeremy Hilton and Isabel Brazil, who represent Kingsholm Ward.

Their motion was passed unanimously calling for the buildings to be acquired for residential redevelopment, with a Compulsory Purchase Order being used if a reasonable purchase terms could not be agreed.

Councillor Hilton said: “The owners stripped out the services within the buildings a few years ago. This probably helped them secure a zero rating on their business rates.

“The loss of £700,000 in business rates since 2011 is scandalous. I understand the owners have had offers from potential buyers but turned them down.

“If they had to pay business rates on the office blocks they may have sold them by now.

“Private householders aren’t allowed to hang on to empty properties for year after year and not pay any council tax.

“Why should wealthy corporations get away with not paying their fair share of taxes? The system is corrupt.

Councillor Isabel Brazil said: “The buildings are run down and can no longer be easily let.

“The owners shouldn’t be allowed to sit on a property asset for year after year and not pay tax on them.

“The £700,000 lost in business rates could of been spent on supporting public services.”

Lib Dem councillors want to use compulsory purchase powers to acquire 67/69 London Road

Jeremy Hilton with the run down buildings on London Road in the background

Liberal Democrat councillors for Kingsholm & Wotton, Jeremy Hilton & Isabel Brazil have issued a challenge to the Tory run city council to acquire 67/69 London Road for a housing development.

The two former office buildings on London Road have remained empty for many years and they are deteriorating and becoming eyesores within an important conservation area.

The annual meeting of the city council (21st May) will debate a motion proposed by Jeremy Hilton & seconded by Isabel Brazil calling on the council to acquire the dilapidated buildings for housing.

Cllr Hilton said: “Local residents are fed up with these empty buildings being an eyesore on London Road. Our motion hopefully, will get things moving.”

Cllr. Isabel Brazil agreed: “The buildings are run down and can no longer be easily let. The draft city plan suggests at least 30 residential units could be provided on the site. The council should now buy the properties for a housing project.”

The motion from the Kingsholm & Wotton councillors calls for compulsory purchase powers to be used if reasonable terms cannot be agreed.

Jeremy Hilton concluded: “The owners have failed look after the properties, we cannot allow them to continue to remain empty for year after year.

“The council must now buy them for a new housing project, using some of the £80m it set aside for such developments. If a negotiated purchase fails the council must use compulsory purchase powers to acquire the site.”

Ends….

Text of motion lodged with city council (dated 1st May 2018 11:12 am)

“This council notes that both 67 and 69 London Road, former offices, have been empty for a number of years and that these buildings are continuing to deteriorate.

They have become an eyesore on London Road, which is a conservation area and also one of the main routes into the city centre.

This council also notes that the combined site is listed in the draft city plan as being suitable for residential development.

This council, therefore, asks the leader to use city council resources to acquire 67 and 69 London Road for a residential regeneration project.

This council also agrees that the city council should use compulsory purchase powers to acquire the site if reasonable purchase terms cannot be agreed by negotiation with the current landowner.”

Proposed by Jeremy Hilton

Seconded by Isabel Brazil

Objections expected to flood in over 100 homes plans for Civil Service sports ground

Isabel Brazil and Jeremy Hilton with the former Civil Service sports ground in background

Plans have been submitted to build 100 homes on the grounds of the former Civil Service club in Kingsholm.

Liberal Democrat councillors are opposed to so many properties being built on the Estcourt Road site because it will take away valuable green space for local people.

The application by Redrow Homes to Gloucester City Council is an increase of 11 properties on a previous application of 89 homes, which is yet to be determined by the planning committee.

Councillor Jeremy Hilton, who represents Kingsholm Ward on the city council, said the new application is in contravention of several council polices.

“The area has less public open space than the council says is necessary for the local population,” said Councillor Hilton.

“This application will take away valuable green space in the heart of Kingsholm. We do need more houses, but not so many at this location.

“The council’s draft city plan says the maximum on the site should be 20. This would leave the large field untouched and available for sport and recreation.

“Sport England raised objections to the previous application of 89 houses I imagine they will do the same for 100 dwellings.”

It is expected that the council will receive many objections as it did on the previous application, added Councillor Hilton.

Councillor Isabel Brazil, who also represents Kingsholm Ward, said: “We need to protect the green spaces in Kingsholm. There just isn’t enough locally, especially public open space.

“We are supporting plans for new housing on London Road and off Great Western Road, but the maximum permitted at Civil Service Club must be 20.”

Councillor Hilton added: “Redrow has been unable to find an alternative sports site nearby, so they are proposing as a sop to the council a cash contribution to be spent on sports fields in the south of Gloucester.

“Kingsholm will lose out. This is unfair.”

Both councillors are recommending that local people send in individual letters of objection, which can be also be done online at www.gloucester.gov.uk The planning document reference is 18/00306/FUL

800 homes empty in Gloucester

Jeremy Hilton campaigning to resolve the empty homes problem

Nearly 800 homes in Gloucester are empty, research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. The figures, uncovered through Freedom of Information requests, show that there are 791 homes across the city that have been empty for six months or more.

Of these, 299 had been empty for two years or more, 95 for five years or more, and 37 have stood empty for at least 10 years in Gloucester.

Across the country more than 11,000 homes have been lying empty for longer than a decade, the Lib Dem figures show.

Conservative-controlled Gloucester City Council has failed to make use of Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMO) in the last five years – powers used by local authorities to take over properties that have been empty for at least six months.

This is despite the fact that some people in Gloucester have spent Christmas without a permanent home – living in temporary accommodation.

Nationally only 19 of the 247 councils in England and Wales that responded had used an EDMO in the past five years. Of these only six had used one in the past year.

Councillor Jeremy Hilton, the Liberal Democrat group leader on Gloucester City Council, said: “At a time when the homelessness crisis is worsening and more and more people are sleeping out in the cold on our streets, it is a scandal that so many homes locally are sitting empty.

“These homes could be turned into affordable places to live for those that need it in Gloucester.

“The Government needs to urgently review the current system which is clearly not working and Gloucester City Council needs to be given the powers and resources to bring empty homes back into use.

“It is shameful that Gloucester City Council has failed to use existing powers to end this scandal. People have spent Christmas without a permanent home because of Conservative inaction and ineptitude.”

Councillor David Brown, the Liberal Democrat housing spokesman on Gloucester City Council, added: “These desperately needed reforms must form part of a wider package to tackle the housing crisis, including building more homes on unused public sector land and clamping down on land-banking.”