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Campaigners fight to save tower blocks from demolition

This news post is about 1 year old
 

Three hundred homes will be built on the site

Campaigners have formed a residents’ union to fight to save four blocks of Glasgow flats from demolition.

Wyndford Residents Union is urging Wheatley Homes to modernise the flats in Maryhill instead of pulling them down.

In total there are 600 homes with the housing association saying ther majority of residents back the move to demoliosh them.

Some 300 homes will be build in place of the tower blocks.

Sean O'Neill, from the residents' union, said: "We've had public meetings, we've tried to negotiate with the housing association, but it was an inevitable consequence of their refusal to negotiate with the people.

"We don't want to see the community gentrified. We want the right to social housing for working people and their families."

The flats are close to the Kelvindale area, near to the Botanic Gardens in the city's West End.

Wheatley Homes said more than 250 of the new homes would be available for social rent and around 50 for mid-market rent.

Alison and Sean, current residents of the flats, said they welcomed plans to demolish the tower blocks.

"They've been a hive for anti-social behaviour and we've been trying to get out for the last 10 years," said Sean.

"It's only now, because it's being knocked down, we're on the way to collect keys for a new place.

"So it's working out better for us."

Tenant chair of Wheatley Homes Glasgow, Bernadette Hewitt, said the majority of residents supported the plans.

"The eight-week consultation, which was supported by the independent body the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) Scotland, was open to every tenant in the community," she said.

"We also held drop-in sessions to hear the views of homeowners and businesses.

"The results showed 85% of Wyndford tenants supported the regeneration plans, with 87% of tenants living in the four 26-storey blocks earmarked for demolition also in favour."