One year on: hype but no hope for Orchard Park

Diana Johnson MP has slammed the Coalition Government's "hype" about boosting housing-building on a day that marks a grim anniversary for Hull North's Orchard Park Estate.

Exactly one year ago, on 22 November 2010, the Coalition axed the previous Government's £160m housing regeneration scheme in Hull North's Orchard Park.

The Orchard Park housing scheme, developed in consultation with local residents, would have built 500 homes for social rent, built 165 homes for direct sale and demolished hundreds of the worst properties in Orchard Park, including the tower blocks.

There has since been no sign of reviving the scheme or even to fund replacement housing for local tower blocks being demolished.

In the year since the Government announced its 60% cut in social housing investment, there has been a 7% fall in new housing starts, soaring private sector rents hitting both tenants and tax-payers, and a 10% rise in homelessness after five years of it falling. Locally, homelessness increased in 2010/11 by 8.9% in Hull and 32.5% in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

In May, Housing Minister Grant Shapps accepted Diana Johnson MP's invitation to visit the Orchard Park Estate. So far no date has been set for this visit. The Hull North MP also raised the plight of the Orchard Park Estate with the Housing Minister in the House of Commons yesterday (21 November). The exchange can be seen at http://bit.ly/tkeP8u.

Hull North MP Diana Johnson said: "Today marks the first anniversary of the Lib Dem-backed Coalition stopping the £160m regeneration of Hull North's Orchard Park Estate.

"This scheme would have met local needs and aspirations for new energy-efficient rented homes and homes for sale, helping to create local construction jobs and training places over the next decade.

"This week's much-hyped £400m for house-building goes nowhere near replacing last year's £4bn Coalition cut in social housing investment a cut that has contributed to choking off economic growth. I also doubt whether Hull will see much of any new money from a Government that cares far more about wealthier areas down South.

"Despite all the Government hype about boosting housing this week, there is no sign of any revival for Orchard Park's regeneration scheme. Restarting it, even on a smaller scale initially, would at least give local people some hope for the future.

"While the Coalition's new plans will build only 3,200 affordable homes nationally,

Labour's five point plan for jobs and growth includes a £2bn bank bonus tax to fund 100,000 jobs for young people and 25,000 more affordable homes. This is what areas such as Orchard Park need urgently."