Battle brewing over plans for new homes in Southampton

The city's estate regeneration programme, started by the Conservatives and continued by Labour, could eventually see new homes built in Townhill Park and Weston, Millbrook and Northam.

Yet in recent weeks and months criticism of the current Labour administration's handling of the programme has intensified, leading to calls for the party's housing czar, Warwick Payne, to step down.

The Tories say that when they lined up first Townhill Park and then other estates for overhauls they could fund it all by using £10-15m from the council coffers and then levering in the rest from housing associations who would take on the management of most of the homes.

Labour has changed the way the projects will be funded, and says it wants the majority of new homes to be owned by the council, providing a healthy annual revenue from rent.

But they are facing fierce criticism from the Tories, who say work should have started by now on the Townhill Park project, three years after initial plans were drawn up, and that the funding changes mean there may not be enough money for work at other estates.

With the row raging on the two politicians most heavily involved - Cllr Payne and his Conservative predecessor Peter Baillie - have their say on the plans that could transform estates across Southampton.

Peter Baillie

Peter Baillie, former Conservative cabinet member for housing "The Echo has it right concerning estate regeneration in Townhill Park. The people to suffer are those whose homes have been boarded up with no sign of any new home in sight, and those on the waiting list who will be waiting longer.

"In four short years the Conservative record on estate regeneration was remarkable. We built over 50 new council homes as a start, moved on to larger schemes such as Hinkler Parade (which looks fantastic) and then onto large schemes such as Meggeson Avenue, Lexford Close, Cumbrian Way and Exford Avenue involving many hundreds of homes.

"These schemes were all totally ready and it is to Labour's shame that they were then so far behind schedule. Cumbrian Way and Meggeson Avenue now look brilliant - exactly what we wanted.

"The next step was complete estate regeneration and the first of these was to be Townhill Park. The scheme was in place, the money in place (at council in March 2012) and then followed by planning.

"The problem was Labour came to power and through their dogma decided they must own the homes. So from costing £12m the scheme increased in cost to £130m, which is Cllr Payne's figure.

"The last three years have been taken up with Labour and Cllr Payne realising that they don't have that money and if they can cobble together that money they will have none for other estates.

"Their assertion to residents in both Townhill and Millbrook that all is well is plainly lying. There is actually no specific money put aside for Millbrook in their budget and Townhill Park is currently only half-funded.

"The Conservative view right from the start was that we just wanted to get homes built however they had to be funded. Thus we built council homes to start because the Government funded half the costs and so it seemed a good deal.

"We had enough money for estate regeneration to completely renew six or seven estates - using our funding and ownership model, that would have seen thousands of homes being built.

"It has become obvious that Labour, and especially Cllr Payne, will only countenance owning the homes and so can only, at best, afford to renew one estate.

"They have firmly put their own political dogma ahead of building new homes and for that they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves."

Warwick Payne, Labour deputy leader and cabinet member for housing "Opinion columns are often hijacked by politicians, rants, or even worse, both.

"As Southampton City Council Deputy Leader I can’t avoid the politician tag, but I don’t wish to rant.

"Instead, I’m looking towards a bright future for our city. I was born here and it’s ever-changing. These are exciting times.

"Southampton constantly reinvents itself. To underline it, I need look no further than the back windows of my Woolston home as Centenary Quay takes shape.

"Across town, near my old secondary school, the Erskine Court estate regeneration project in Lordshill is roaring ahead.

"And here lies the strangest political battle of modern Southampton, as both main parties wish to rejuvenate our city. Yet a bizarre feud has arisen over the technical points on how it’s achieved.

"The Southampton Tories complain bitterly – often on these pages – about the process. First, they raged about new council homes being built.

"When this caused no general uproar they moved onto affordable rent, delivery models, and more recently, project duration.

"Call me picky, but it’s rather hard demolishing homes that still have people living in them. Still, the opposition has to be cross about something, yet if they’re looking for something that enrages the public, this isn’t it.

"In contrast, when the Tories ran the council, Sotonians went rightfully ballistic about a million uncollected bin bags littering our streets.

"For political balance, the Conservatives scored a direct hit on parking costs in 2008 to oust the short-lived Lab/Lib coalition.

"My phone rang constantly during those times, and when Woolston didn’t have enough school places the issue went viral on social media within hours.

"The lesson is clear that when something upsets people, they tell the council, and quite right too.

"Yet, whenever estate regeneration makes it into print, the only thing I find on my phone is dust. Nothing happens.

"When reaction from residents is sought on the political squabble the reply is clear: “Stop squabbling and get on with it”, and I couldn’t agree more.

"Progress is being made, multi-millions are available for Townhill Park and Millbrook, and so long as the Government doesn’t pull the plug on national housing investment, it’s all systems go.

"It’s curious that an issue that should bring the city together has triggered a political spat.

"We all want Southampton to succeed. It’s a pity the politicians are bickering about it – perhaps an elected mayor might hold everyone in check?"