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| Submit Comments | Comments (22) | « Previous Story | Next Story »

Cabinet fury at plan to sell land for just £1

Katie Storey

February 03, 2010

PLANS to sell a patch of waste land to a housing developer for just £1 have been met with anger.

The council proposed selling the land off Woodbine Street in Kingsway to housing association Great Places Housing Group to build 27 homes.

But the cabinet has ordered the proposal be looked at again because nearby residents were not consulted enough.

Speaking at the Cabinet meeting on Monday councillor Jean Ashworth said: "I am thoroughly disgusted with this report. Half of the residents have not been consulted. To sell this land for £1 is absolutely ridiculous. It is of no value to the residents that live on that street, because eventually that little cul-de-sac where it is safe for the children to play will be opened up. I personally don't think there has been anywhere near enough consultation for the residents."

The western part of the site, which was formerly a scrap yard, was bought by the council in 2000 for £120,000 for building houses, while the eastern part is open land.

But the fall in land prices has meant the whole site is now valued at just £37,500 and a council report says it would be unlikely to sell in the current economic climate.

Great Place Housing Group plan to build 27 houses on the site, 18 of these homes will be rented with nine houses for sale.

The development will be a mixture of homes with three, four and five bedrooms, aimed at meeting the needs of the growing number of families in the community.

A full planning application was submitted to the council in December and if approved work was expected to begin in March.

In a report submitted at the Cabinet Gary Davies from Rochdale Development Agency claimed that the site has been subject to fly-tipping and had been blighted by anti-social behaviour.

He said: "The development of the site for housing will contribute to the regeneration of the area, bring a vacant site into productive use and will satisfy an established need in the area for new housing. As part of the Brighter Futures regeneration project in the area, extensive consultation with local residents was undertaken in 2008. One of the main issues identified by local residents was the need for larger affordable homes in the area. The proposed development will help meet this demand."

Councillor Mohammed Sharif supported the plans.

He said that if the land was not developed it would end up as a rubbish tip.

He added: "I am very happy to go along with this report because I don't want to lose the funding - I urge the council and the cabinet to sell it."

But the proposal was dismissed by council leader Irene Davidson who asked for more consultation to be undertaken before a decision was reached.

| Submit Comments | Comments (22) | « Previous Story | Next Story »

Most recent user comments 22 of 22

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this meeting is goin ahead on the 16th of this month and anyone who wishes to show support for us residents will be welcome to come alone and try ensure we have a say .

sharon taylor
10/02/2010 at 08:37

I just don't believe what we are being told. Can we see an independent report on the value of that land? There is no way on earth that land with residential permission has fallen in value since 2000. This country has seen the biggest increase in land values in the past decade since records began. Somebody is either stupid, niave or acting fraudulently. Even recognising this isn't the most desirable part of town, each plot is now said to be worth just £1300. It beggars belief. Try 10 times that.

Thank goodness somebody has had the sense to stop this.

MPs gravy train, UK
6/02/2010 at 11:11

That's curious the comments I've posted on here containing the links to the pics that prove that the proposed site is not used as a fly tip as was reported by Carl Davies of the Rochdale development agency i also posted on the Rochdale online website but somehow my comments have vanished and i am now forbidden from posting on their website. Why Rochdale online? there was certainly nothing offensive or inappropriate in my post i only provided the truth in the pictures in an attempt to let the public make up their own minds as to whether they thought the site was rife with fly tipping. Sounds like an attempt to withhold the truth to me. Thank goodness the Rochdale Obsever still believes in freedom of speech.

local resident
5/02/2010 at 19:11

I live in this area of and can confirm that parking is a real issue on this street already with the development of another 27 houses with proposed on street parking how is this problem going to improve? take a look HERE:(copy and paste link)

http://s815.photobucket.com/albums/zz76/actiongroup_album/parking/?action=view&current=100_2218.jpg

This is the situation with parking now just where do you propose all of these new residents are going to park there vehicles??

local resident
5/02/2010 at 08:31

I'll give them £5 for it. That's 5 times it's apparent value. Where do I sign?

Harrysmate, Rochdale
4/02/2010 at 12:57

This is plain bonkers.

if "much needed" homes (for whoever) is needed then why don't the Rochdale Development Agency make some of 350 acres of muddy fields available were Kingsway Business Park is supposed to be?

Tens of millions have already been spent there and the site is almost empty.

This sort of mismanagement can't go on. Spend £120,000 in 2000 and try to sell for £1 in 2010.

the bigger picture, Rochdale
4/02/2010 at 11:54

Gary Davies i read with interest your report suggesting that the proposed site has been subject to fly tipping, in the ten years i have lived in this area i have never witnessed any instances of fly tipping on this site nor have my neighbors in fact i would imagine that this would be difficult being as the site is surrounded by a 10ft high secure fence. in fact on looking around the site yesterday it appears to me that the site is completely free from litter as can been seen HERE: (copy and paste the links)

http://s815.photobucket.com/albums/zz76/actiongroup_album/proposed%20site/?action=view&current=S5001881.jpg

AND HERE: http://s815.photobucket.com/albums/zz76/actiongroup_album/proposed%20site/?action=view&current=S5001880.jpg

so it would appear you either have your facts wrong, have been misinformed or that somebody is telling porky pies.

local resident
4/02/2010 at 08:12

" Why dont you use it for public allotments. Let the people whose taxes paid for it, get some use out of it. I'm sure there would be plenty of people that would pay a nominal rent for the pleasure of getting chemical free fresh 'veggies' and also enjoy working with their hands again. Remember the war years? " Those were the days when we all pulled together unlike now a days. "

ex Rochdalian Canada

ukcarguy, BC Canada
4/02/2010 at 04:49

How can any councillor be allowed or encourage the sell of Land for a £1. The ratepayers deserve a better deal. This does not smell right and I am calling on new Councillor leader contact us via Observer.

The Evangelist33, Rochdale
3/02/2010 at 19:48

I bid £1000 for the land.

Henry Kelly, Ireland
3/02/2010 at 19:31

concil are a big joke, how can they sell a patch of land for £I,woodbine street has got enough cars parked on it from the doctors and dont forget the car washat the bottom of the street. Were do the children who live on that street have to play when these houses are built, with lots of traffic coming in and out. The council have no idea wot there on about why not ask the residents before goinig ahead with there plans

lindsay parkinson
3/02/2010 at 18:22

It is ridiculousthat the council is selling a patch land for £1have rochdale council got money to burn ?????. The street were the house are proposed to being built, is very bad for parking and 27 more houses will cause chaos. Woodbine street has enough parked cars on it from the doctors and the residents that live on the street. the street can not copy with all the traffic as its a cul de sac, at the moment is a safe area for children to play on, bit not for long if these houses get bulit. I say put a stop to them now

lindsay parkinson
3/02/2010 at 18:06

as a resident we are increasingly annoyed at all the lies being told.firstly the residents were first told in 2008 ?the first we knew was in dec 2009 and still most of us werent informed at all.flytippin??not a problem us residents have eva witnessed and have photos proving so.there have been many lies told and many wrong doings in this planning proposal and we intend to fight it all the way.people are supposed to allowed to have a voice and we intend to.this should not be allowed by companys.

sharon taylor
3/02/2010 at 17:00

Here is a genuine question that will probably make more sense in the weeks to come:::

has this story got anything to do with political infighting and de-selection battles going on?

the public attack on Cllr Sharif by Councillors Davidson and Ashworth seems odd. He is only supporting the official policy of the Rochdale Development Agency and strategic planning objectives.

Is this all attacking of a housing project about being able to look good in upcoming election leaflets?

javid khan, Rochdale
3/02/2010 at 14:28

This is a scandal. Hard working Rochdale tax payers should make their way to the next Town Hall meeting and wave £1 coins at the councillors. Financial muppetdom.

A £119,999 loss over 8 years. Genius. Another RDA triumph.

Or is there something else going on here? Thank goodness the Observer have picked up on this.

quids in, Rochdale
3/02/2010 at 14:08

As Cheyenne has said. Astonishing that RMBC have the cheek to impose a 4% hike in taxes, the highestest i know of in Greater Manchester. Whilst selling off assets for £1.

Its been an utter shambles of services and issues this last 12 months. Expense scandals, bins left unemptied for 2 months, Roads in disgraceful conditions, Retirement home closures, Phantom jobs, Employee "lift time salaries", the list could go on and on.

Henrys Dog, Rochdale
3/02/2010 at 14:03

I don't mind paying for a Rochdale council tax increase 4 times the rate of inflation if I can have a 'ghost job' that pays £150,000 for doing nothing and I can buy land for 27 houses for a pound.

Deals like this proves the borough's on the up and up!

Hoover, Rochdale
3/02/2010 at 13:56

According to some rules the Council should accept the Lowest Tender for letting contracts. Therefore if selling something that belongs to the Council, it stands to good reason that the Council are duty bound to get the best possible price. If in 2000, the land was bought for a particular price, it should rent the land until such time the price increase, before even attempting to get rid of it.

James Allan Whitehead
3/02/2010 at 12:45

Rochdale council and another own goal.

Firstly, it doesn't matter if the land was 1 pound or 37,500 they would still have pulled in council tax. To sell off the land at way below it's market value is not on. The council are supposed to be doing what is best for Rochdale. Giving away an asset like this is not what is best for Rochdale.

Secondly, correct me if I am wrong, but is the council supposed to profit from the council tax it collects? I was under the impression that the tax levied is related to the costs the council incurrs providing its services. While it will collect taxes from the extra 27 houses it will have to priovide extra services to the people living in these houses.

Thirdly, why has the land value dropped so much? Either it was overpriced to begin with or it's under valued now - something stinks with this.

NordenBloke, Norden
3/02/2010 at 10:55

Apart from thinking it is ridiculous selling the land for £1 putting more houses on that land will cause utter chaos for access to doctors and people that live already on the streets near there. Outrageous £1 cant even buy a loaf of bread for that these days never mind a plot of land disgusting

Lesley Greenwood
3/02/2010 at 10:49

The Council are increasing Council tax by 4%. yet the say they can afford to give land to an housing Association for just £1.00, I am aware that the Council will be able to claim council tax when the houses are built.

Yet in this finacial climate the land should be put up for auction, and sold to reputable bidder.

Well done Councillor Irene Davidson, I have always said you were a straight and reasonable person.

Cheyenne, Rochdale
3/02/2010 at 09:36

This whole deal stinks.

Selling land off for over 20 houses for a pound. A shilling a house?

But the RDA report recommends it and the Portfolio holder for regeneration also supports it?

The recommendations are so obviously odd that even members of the ruling party have had to speak out about it. Alarm bells should be ringing like billio.

Land prices haven't dropped that much - £120k down to £37k but at even that price no-one will buy? Utter rubbish. Either someone paid too much for the site in 2000 or something very odd is now going on with the current valuation.

Talk of "blight" and "flytipping" are old chestnuts when developers and agencies want a certain result. Also the reference to "consulation" wanting an outcome of certain sizes of houses has a familiar ring about it.

This matter should be thoroughly investigated - and not by Rochdale Council- as the maxim goes- "who guards the guards".

PC Plod, Rochdale
3/02/2010 at 09:26

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