RESIDENTS of a Southampton estate have slammed a public consultation designed to get them out of their properties in order to bring forward a regeneration project.

Southampton City Council is attempting to agree terms with residents to move out of their properties at Townhill Park in Southampton, which has caused a stir.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, council tenants are being offered at least £5,000 each to vacate their properties, so the council can plough ahead with demolishing the blocks and building new homes.

Jo Proctor, chair of the Townhill Park community association, expressed concerns about the clarity of the plans.

She said: “I’m pleased the drop in sessions are taking place.

“However the council still has not made it clear about their full plans, leaving it in the middle of a ten page questionnaire which is not portraying a clear message.

“It’s disappointing that the council is also not willing to discuss individual cases at the sessions as it would provide more clarity face to face.”

The £100m Townhill Park regeneration project will see the area around Meggeson Avenue redeveloped, with 665 new homes built in 11 phases.

A meeting of SCC’s cabinet last month approved a new set of proposals for decommissioning and acquiring properties which would allow the council to complete the scheme by 2024.

Under the proposals, tenants would receive an additional enhanced payment for leaving early, which would be at least £5,000, a statutory amount guaranteed by law under the Land Compensation Act 1973.

Meanwhile, leaseholders would get a home loss payment at 10 percent of market value of the property, up to a maximum of £58,000 along with disturbance payments which would be paid after their move.

A council spokesperson said: “We have paper copies of the consultation and supporting information available at Townhill Park Community Centre, libraries, Gateway and Civic Centre reception along with a questionnaire.

“Although we cannot discuss personal cases at the drop-in sessions because of confidentiality reasons, people can ring the council for concerns they may have.”

The consultation will run at two separate events at Townhill Park community centre today and Wednesday, September 13 from 3pm to 7pm.