CRESSINGHAM GARDENS: WHICH REPORT IS WRONG – THE PEOPLE’S PLAN – OR LAMBETH COUNCIL’S? Demolition plans set to get the go-ahead
Lambeth council have dismissed a ‘People’s Plan’ of 326 PAGES for Cressingham – put together by architects etc – in just a few paragraphs of a council ‘press release’ * which says it “will be considered by the cabinet when it makes its decision” but then adds:
“The council assessment of the plan, on both feasibility and finances, found that it could not be considered a practical option.
“Based on the information received to date, the Council is unable to recommend that the council adopts this plan as:
• No evidence has been provided confirming that there is the grant funding available to the level required to fund the proposals;
• It relies on funding from the Housing Revenue Account and does not, therefore, resolve the question of how to fund refurbishment of the estate;
• As a result this does not make best use of the funding available in the Housing Revenue Account and therefore it doesn’t represent value for money.
The People’s Plan was delivered to the council on March 4th – with the council’s press release appearing on March 11th.
This means that Lambeth council officers have – somewhat amazingly – been able to understand, digest and send a written response back to cabinet on the entire People’s Plan report in just five to six working days.
The council press release heaps huge praise on ‘option five’, saying “officers have recommended that “Option 5” (Full Redevelopment) offers the best alternative for the future of the Cressingham Gardens estate.
“It was judged that Options 1-4 did not meet the criteria for a number of reasons. “For example, they would have to be funded from the Housing Revenue Account, they did not represent value for money, or they did not provide enough additional new homes to help meet Lambeth’s housing need.”
*Lambeth.gov press releases: Statement on Cressingham Gardens: Recommendation to cabinet posted by Lambeth Council ⋅ March 11, 2016
The cabinet report on Cressingham, Gardens for next Monday – Investing in better neighbourhoods and building the homes we need to house the people of Lambeth – Cressingham Gardens Estate can be found at:
http://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=225&MId=9379
