Rowner residents unhappy with treatment over estate regeneration
NOT HAPPY Rowner residents, from left, Kelly Dodds, Sandra King, Wayne Byrne, Paul Roper, and David Colbeck. Picture: Ian Hargreaves (120349-4)
IT’S a multi-million pound redevelopment that will transform an estate.
But those left behind say they are angry at the way they have been treated over the regeneration of Rowner in Gosport.
Homeowners say not only are they unhappy with the compensation being offered to sell up and leave, they are facing months of disruption as building work is carried out around them before it reaches their section.
There are 30 properties which the council has yet to buy.
Kelly Dodds, 36, of Lawrence Walk, has accepted an offer of £29,000 for her two-bedroom house.
She is now waiting to be told when she has to leave her property.
She said: ‘We’d have accepted it if the process was as quick and painless as possible. There’s no thought or consideration for those who are still living here.
‘No-one has helped us. There has been no support.’
Sandra King, 60, who lives with her partner Wayne Byrne, 53, in Lawrence Walk, said: ‘At this stage in our lives we should be in a property that’s ours. We are now going into somewhere where we have got to part-buy.
‘Where am I going to get a mortgage from?
‘We have both always worked and suddenly in the twilight years of our life we are going to have debt that we don’t want.’
Mr Byrne said because of the noise and dust they had to keep their windows locked all the time.
Councillor Mark Hook, leader of Gosport Borough Council, defended the regeneration scheme, saying: ‘I’m disappointed that they feel like that.
‘At the end of the day the Rowner regeneration team have done everything possible to talk with residents to advise them and to help them.
‘I can understand their frustrations that they believe their property is worth more than it actually is. But they have been offered as much help as possible.
‘The vast majority have moved out of their properties and are delighted with where they have moved to.’
It’s believed residents living in Lawrence Walk will move out by the summer.
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Comments
There are 33 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
fairsfair
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 07:54 PMGosport one. 9 homes in Alver Village.... We requested to be amongst the first to move due to health problems. . We were told we would be consulted, not dictated to. We did attend the meetings and we had our names down from the first. However, we are not going to be moved somewhere which is detrimental to our current health state, or to a place that we cannot afford, just to please the council. Yes we could move to a place we could not possibly afford, and I'm sure this would be very much to the councils liking, but not practical or sensible at our age. You have an attitude typical of most people in Gosport, who seem think the people of Rowner are all wasters and free-loaders. You sure have enough time to slag us off. Are you out of work, or are you employed by the council???? (it's the same thing really) The disenfranchisement of Rowner has been going on for a long time, so you can quit your hate campaign as the place will soon be consigned to history, burying all of the political embarassment GCC have so long invested in it.
leaseholdreform
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 11:56 AM@26 Gosportone ,You state had we brought the freehold Suzan would have controlled the service charges etc. In fact Suzan had researched many developments similar to Rowner in London, who with the support of the COUNCIL etc had in fact turned these estates around PROOF CAN BE PROVIDED!!! Plus how could Suzan or anyone else dictate to 301 commonholders JUST not possible as Most believe she had under 30 flats ??
Kelly Dodds
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 01:37 PM@Gosport One So valuations have been based on strick goverment guidelines?
leaseholdreform
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 03:49 PMLeasehold is an 800 year Feudal system where Freeholders and MA are superior, and Leaseholders are Vassal -inferior-surfs, this system only exists in England and Wales not Scotland or Ireland or the whole of Europe! THINK ABOUT IT !!!!!!!!!!! http:www.leaseholdknowledge.comhomenews-from-the-leasehold-sector
leaseholdreform
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 03:13 PMWake up wake up See who's been running 90% of Leasehold in England and Wales also they bank role ARMA the ones your meant to complain to about them shafted twice! http:www.bbc.co.uknewsbusiness-12688072 http:www.spanglefish.compeverelactionindex.asp?pageid=295044 http:www.dailymail.co.uknewsarticle-1367364Is-party-Citys-billionaire-brothers-fraud-probe.html
The Gosport One
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 03:06 PMFairsfair , There are 9 properties currenlty listed on the homes in hants website for Alver Village , take your pick.
The Gosport One
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 02:41 PMAnd theres more, The Grange pub (the only local in the area) has now been bought ,either by the council, the RRP or someone working on their behalf. Interestingly it is not included in the RRP masterplan, but rumours have it the council have wanted this facility to close for some time due to its proximity to the school.
The Gosport One
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 02:27 PM@19 First Wessex arewere dealing with the rehousing, unless you 'are CPO'd then your on your own as no one has a responsibility to re-house you. You should of put your name down at the open day on June 2010. Or made attempts to contact First Wessex to see what your options were, not bury your head in the sand. @20 , Susan Veale et al, after her consortium had everyone buy the freehold ( they would have owned most of the properties) and THEN set the management costs to whatever they liked, you wouldn 't of been able to afford to live there. They would be the ones regenerating, as you would have to sell. You would also not be covered under the legisalation that previous management had been taked to court over as you would be freehold owners and not leaseee's. NOTE Harbours towers , residents had to find £15k each to have the tower fixed, they were free holders, pay or you have to sell ! @21 S Veale (as above) were buying peroperties for £15k, some owners who agreed to sell before First Wessex applied CPO legislation ie betterment got very good prices above market value.
Gosport Bloke
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 01:23 PM@17 - your talking rubbish!! The place hasnt been run down just to force you out...it has ALWAYS been a dump - I lived there as a navy brat in the 70s and it was a terrible place to live then...lets be honest, it wasnt the best place to have bought a property in the first place was it...and its not down to the rest of us that have to work hard to pay OUR OWN mortgages to pay massive councuil tax rises for you to be given a nice new house for free
Gosport Bloke
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 01:02 PM@ FrankScot - if you feel so strongly about this issue, perhaps you should stand as a councillor at the next elections - and on a ticket that you think everyone else in Gosport should have a 50-60% tax hike to pay for your generous idea of paying out more money to the residents than their properties are worth??
FrankScot
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:49 PMHark! What's that! The sound of silence and shame from our democratically elected councillors. Withdrawing to thier four bed house in Alverstoke to forget about those they represent.
leaseholdreform
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:55 PMHere is some info on some of the OM Property Group! http:carlex.codud-property-managers-but-not-peverel
Kelly Dodds
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:50 PM@ Gosport one. 'it is inconceivable that sacred & inviolable rights of private property should be postponed to public necessity without a full indemnification & equivalent for the injury sustained. with the power to acquire a property without the owners consent is the obligation to pay full & fair compensation. If valuations were 'decided by an independent appointed inspector who is subject to strict government valuation guidelines' why have properties been valued & sold for between £50k - £79k? while others, in the same block, have been valued at £29k? You state the council receives no financial benefit whatsoever, us owners are not benefiting, so who are benefiting from the substantial economic advantage of the compulsory purchase councillor? Taylor Wimpy? First Wessex? or the major investor Tesco?. The underlying assumption of parliament is that the acquiring authority will act reasonably in the public interest..but with due regard to the interest of the person being disposed. Where have you been Caroline Dineage? May I suggest that instead of posing for pictures with the 'partnership' etc on the new development that you walk a 1ooyards down & explain to us owners why we are being forced to accept a pittance for our properties, being forced into financial hardship & being forced to live on a demolition site, which also makes our homes uninhabitable for six days a week.
leaseholdreform
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 08:58 PMWell Gosport One Most Leaseholders signed up to buy the Freehold, Michasel Laine when asked by me "if the Rowner Regeneration DEMOCRATIC?" stated yes and then asked "will we get a vote"? YES he said OK so where is the vote then, quite honestly it would of been better if the RRP would have allowed us to buy the Freehold and left us to our own devices.
fairsfair
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 05:12 PMWhy have we left it so long????? Because the council dont have anywhere for us to go.
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