Letters of Sense?

Two letters in the Herts Advertiser this week seek to keep the Tesco debate open (the question does arise if it is possible to have a debate if Tesco isn't speaking though...)

Peter Milne returns to the problems of the London Road houses. His impressive chronology covers the past 3-and-a-half years and shows how little action has been taken by Tesco or St Albans District to solve the problem.

Simon Hepburn joins together a couple of stories to make the case for a school on the London Road site.

Another interesting article that local planners and followers of this site might be interested was posted on the BBC website today. A coalition of councils, unions and builders is pressing the Government to put up 100,000 affordable homes. Another perfect use for the site!


UPDATE: Peter Milne has written the letter below to Cllr Chris Brazier, in response to this article in the online Herts Advertiser. We'll let you know what he says...

Dear Chris,

I've just read the Herts Ad article in which you are quoted as saying

"I had a meeting with Tesco before Christmas and they stated they would tidy up the properties. They have put a caretaker in the site to stop people squatting. They told me that any new application would not include the houses in London Road."

He gave them a two-month deadline to submit an application to refurbish the properties and warned them that the council would use the Housing Act to force them into selling the properties for housing if they failed to do so. "

As the meeting was in September, five months later, I'm wondering what's happening. There seems to be no planning application from Tesco as they are reported to have promised, no EHMO - and most important, still no work on the houses.

There has been a long series of failed promises on this since 2005, as below. Is something actually going to happen soon?

Peter Milne

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Sept 16 2005 - The council says it is looking to use an amendment to the Housing Act which comes into force this autumn allowing it to manage [the London Road houses] with a view to providing accommodation for tenants on the housing register.

Jan 5th 2006 - A council spokesman said: "There are two areas we are exploring. Under section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act we can make efforts to tidy up the appearance of the area..... Councillor Robert Donald has also written to Verulam Properties a subsidiary of Tesco which owns the properties to request that action is taken to improve their appearance."

Jun 19 2006 - Council leader Robert Donald has pledged to take action over the empty homes and shops in London Road if the stymied supermarket scheme does not progress this year.

Oct 15th 2007 - .... district council planning chief Chris Brazier .... is asking council officers to use the 2004 Housing Act to take over the properties temporarily.

Feb 19th 2008 - [Tesco] says it will renovate six of the homes it owns in May or June, and all should be occupied by tenants by the end of this year.

Aug 27th 2008 - Daniel Goodwin, the council's chief executive, says "The council wishes to see the houses in london Road let as soon as possible." and that they will consider using an Empty Dwelling Management Order "should insufficient steps have been taken".