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Blight on Sheldon raised in Parliament

The big point about the proposed second runway for Birmingham International Airport is that it is having an effect today on many people living in Sheldon. The uncertainty affecting their properties causes them difficulties if they wish to move.

I don't personally believe that the runway will ever be built, but the uncertainty causes sufficient problems to justify the government revisiting their assumptions.

This is my yesterday's list.

Apart from the usual written question responses, (I am going in further on the issue of the Safer Stronger Communities Fund where the government are being strangely evasive - like many other answers.) there were two debates that on Council Housing and that on Climate Change (see above link).

Housing is in a worsening crisis nationally and particularly in Birminghamm. The government appear to wish to abdicate responsibility for housing.

From local sources:
The Draft HRA Business Plan gives a projected stock loss for the period to 31 March 2010. The projection is that stock will reduce from an opening balance of 72,986 at 1 April 2004 to a figure of 58,638 dwellings at the close of 2010.

The projected stock loss is the result of an anticipated 9,000 sales through right to buy and 5,348 demolitions.

However, it should be noted that the number of dwellings owned by other Registered Social Landlords will continue to increase as a result of new development (funded via the Housing Corporation Approved Development Programme or secured through the use of planning powers).

Whilst it is more difficult to forecast future levels of RSL development/acquisition, it is likely that the annual addition to the stock will be in the region of 800-1,000 dwellings. This is potentially a conservative estimate. The following table assumes a level of 900 per year to give an overall estimate for social housing stock to 2010.

YearCouncil StockRSL StockTotal Social Housing Stock
2004/5 – start of year72,98640,268113,254
2009/10 – end of year58,63844,768103,406

Source: bcc

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