THE residents of Glasgow's last prefab houses yesterday failed to
persuade the district council to delay plans to demolish their homes.
Disappointed tenants are to continue their campaign and some vowed to
force the council to take court action to evict them.
About 60 residents from the Hangingshaw estate, many of whom have
lived in the aluminum prefabs since they were erected near Hampden after
the Second World War, yesterday lobbied councillors without success.
Pleas entered on behalf of the residents, many elderly, by their MP
John Maxton, and their regional and district councillors were
ignored by a housing sub-committee which recommended that the houses
be demolished and the tenants rehoused in other parts of the city.
A recent check revealed that 18 prefabs were seriously corroded and
repairs for each house would cost #8000. The council maintains that it
has no funds to repair or replace the 52 houses, the last of the 5000
prefabs built in Glasgow after the war, which were expected to have a
20-year lifespan.
Tenants at the council meeting were not surprised that the houses are
in need of structural attention. Mr David Lyndsay, who raised a family
of three in his prefab, said: ''I've lived there 43 years, since they
were built, and they have only been painted twice. The last time was 17
years ago.''
Mrs Margaret Weir said: ''I'm holding out until there is a compulsory
purchase order. They'll have to take me to court to get me out.''
Officials yesterday admitted that the damage to the houses was not
critical but did not agree with residents' representatives that it was
ludicrous to demolish the houses without considering other options.
Regional councillor Bill Miller echoed the appeal to save what he saw
as a unique housing scheme which had a strong community identity. ''Here
we have something which actually works. We should hold on to that.''
A suggestion by local councillor Norman Mortimer that the prefabs be
replaced under a rolling programme of chalet houses did not find a
seconder on the committee.
The housing sub-committee added a caveat to its recommendation that a
strong preference be given to the current residents of Hangingshaw if
the site is redeveloped by another housing agency.
Mr Maxton said he had spoken to Housing Minister Lord James
Douglas-Hamilton but was not optimistic about more cash coming to the
council.
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