Who speaks for Wyndford? It is an interesting question, especially given the inaccurate and misleading claims frequently made by people who are not social housing tenants, who do not live in Maryhill, and often do not stay in Glasgow.
Wheatley Homes Glasgow, which is Scotland’s biggest social landlord, recently updated its plans for the regeneration of Wyndford, which will see £100 million invested, four unpopular multi-storeys demolished and more than 380 new homes – 85% of which will be for social rent – built in their place and a brand-new community hub.
Herald readers may ask – rightly – if this is what the people of Wyndford want.
A six-week consultation on the proposals was held between November 2021 and January 2022. It was sent to over 1400 tenants and overseen by leading independent consultation body TPAS Scotland.
The results showed Wyndford tenants to be overwhelmingly in favour of these plans, with 85% of tenants who replied voting in favour of the blocks being demolished, and 87% of tenants in the four blocks also supporting the regeneration plans.
We are Wheatley Homes Glasgow tenants, living in Wyndford, and co-chairs of the tenant-led Wyndford Futures Focus Group, which is helping shape the masterplan for the regeneration of the area.
The views of the focus group and the tenants we represent are clear – we are fully behind the plans to demolish these four blocks.
We have also carried out three public surveys for everyone in Wyndford – homeowners and private tenants, as well as Wheatley Homes Glasgow tenants. The results have shown the wider neighbourhood to be in support of the improvements.
How much clearer can you get?
Herald readers might also want to know the regeneration is not about demolishing all high-rise blocks either, as 13 multi-storeys will remain in the community.
This is about replacing four outdated and unpopular blocks, made up of bedsits and one-bedroom flats, with modern family homes, which will be cheaper to keep warm. These bedsits and one-bedroom flats were extremely hard to let. The tenants, mostly single people, who did move in didn’t stay for long. It is difficult to build community spirit and pride when people are moving in and out every few weeks.
Residents have told us they want larger homes in Wyndford – and over 40% of the new homes will have three bedrooms or more to help encourage families back to the area. These new homes will have over 900 bedrooms – which is far more than the four blocks which are being demolished.
The regeneration is also about protecting the community of Wyndford – every tenant who moved from the four blocks to other areas were given the promise they could return to Wyndford in future and have priority for one of the new homes.
To ignore their views and the promises made to tenants would be unforgivable – and we will not let that happen.
Why not retrofit the blocks instead? A report by structural engineers made clear that cutting through thick concrete walls to retrofit these particular blocks would compromise the structural integrity and stability of the building. It is simply not an option at Wyndford, despite what others may say.
There are also a lot of inaccuracies around mid-market rent.
As the name suggests, mid-market rent is affordable housing for low-income households with a combined earning of less than £40,000 a year and who have no priority for social rent. That means people who earn around £20,000 a year – such as people who work in Tesco Maryhill.
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Mid-market rents with Lowther, part of Wheatley Group, start at £426 a month – far less than some of the figures bandied about and much cheaper than the average private sector rent in the city.
That does not sound like gentrification to us.
It is also important to remember there will be no private homes for sale as part of the regeneration, no commercial units included in the plans, and no land will be sold to private developers. Wheatley Homes Glasgow, after all, is a non-profit making organisation.
The £100 million regeneration includes £13 million for wider community benefits. We are talking about green space and open areas, a new play park, improved walkways and cycle paths, new bike racks and car parking facilities.
New CCTV, controlled-entry systems and a new concierge station have already helped reduce anti-social behaviour and made people feel safer and more connected.
All tenants in the four blocks have now moved out to new and better homes in Wyndford or in other areas of their choice.
The plans for Wyndford are about more than just housing. Anyone who has ever set foot in the current Wyndford Hub will know it has seen better days, with large parts of the building closed off and unusable. The new plans for Wyndford will see the construction of a new hub which will serve our community for many years to come.
The Wyndford Futures Focus Group, as well as the views of homeowners and tenants in private lets, helped shape these new plans through meetings and online surveys.
It takes us back to the original question – who speaks for Wyndford? Is it a small group of activists who speak only for themselves? Or is it working class people who live here and who are excited about the long overdue regeneration of the community they love?
The overwhelming majority of social housing tenants, homeowners and private renters have spoken. Let our voice be heard.
Chris Quinn and Henry McLaren are Wheatley Homes Glasgow tenants and co-chairs of the Wyndford Futures Focus Group
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