Scroll to bottom for details of Sighthill meeting this thursday 28 July

" After a long period of uncertainty the 'Evening Times' is used by the heartless GHA Ltd. to tell us the Flats are to be pulled down. Too right we're angry. 'Call this a democracy?"

Sighthill's high-rise flats are to be demolished

ANOTHER infamous Glasgow high-rise housing scheme is to be pulled down.

City landlord GHA announced the £5million demolition of the five double-blocks in Sighthill as part of its regeneration of Glasgow's housing stock. Families could decide within the next year to flatten as many as 60 more high-rises. GHA bosses also today revealed how £135million will be spent to transform many of Glasgow's multi-storeys.

The cash, part of the recently announced £630m investment in Glasgow's housing, will be spent improving more than 100 tower blocks and mini multi-storey flats, called T84s, which are home to more than 6000 tenants and their families. The programme will be carried out over the next five years, with a full timetable of what work will be carried out on which blocks unveiled around Christmas.

GHA's decision to pull down the 1960s blocks in the Fountainwell area of Sighthill, which are home to many of Glasgow's asylum seekers, follows a consultation with local residents. Families living in the blocks on neighbouring Pinkston Drive have said they want their flats to stay up.

The landlord has already announced the demolition of the high-rises at Red Road in Balornock, Broomloan in Ibrox, Pollokshaws and the Gorbals. As yet there is no definite timescale as to when the blocks will be pulled down but it is expected to take a number of years. When GHA took over the city's housing stock from the council in 2003 many tenants believed it would pull down most of the city's high-rises. But today it committed itself to regenerating around 120 tower blocks.

Question marks still hang over some 60 blocks across the city.

Tenants and housing chiefs will decide over the next 12 months which flats will be regenerated and which will be bulldozed. Bob McGuire, community housing manager at Sighthill's local housing organisation Compass, said: "We have already started investing millions in Sighthill and the Pinkston multis. "But after receiving the results of the social survey, our board felt there was no evidence to support a further multi-million pound investment programme in the multis at Fountainwell."

The GHA's massive works programme includes £57m worth of improvements to roofing and cladding to around 70 multi-storey blocks and around 50 T84s, as well as installing new special security doors to homes. Some £44m will be spent on new kitchens and bathrooms and rewiring.New central heating systems worth £15m will be fitted.

Internal common works worth £15m, including redecorating closes in around 140 blocks, will be carried out.

Floors and staircases will be repaired in around 135 blocks, lifts will be replaced in 50 blocks and the lighting system will be upgraded in 120 blocks.

Among the first blocks identified for upgrading are those at Croftbank Street and Edgefauld Road in the north of the city.

Work could begin as soon as the autumn.

GHA's head of property programmes Bill Byfield said: "High-rise living has an important role in Glasgow and this investment demonstrates GHA and the network of tenant-led LHOs see a long-term future for many of the properties.

"We have been investing in tower blocks across the city and today's announcement is an extension of a programme that is already transforming thousands of tenants' homes."

North Glasgow LHO community housing manager Jack Bennett said: "This investment will create warmer homes."

Chairwoman Mary Willis added: "We will be consulting with tenants on the appearance of the blocks to be clad and we look forward to seeing contractors on site in the near future."

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SAVE OUR HOMES!

15 /1, 32 Pinkston Dr G211NG Tel: 07940937241 sighthillsoh@hotmail.com

GHA Ltd announced today, 21 st July 2005 that 5 Fountainwell double blocks (1140 homes) are set to go in 3 years. 458 secure tenants & maybe 400 short-term tenants, students & asylum seekers are to lose their homes!

NO consultation - NO mandate - NO new housing built yet!

EMERGENCY

PUBLIC MEETING

TO DISCUSS GHA LTD'S PROPOSED

FOUNTAINWELL

BLOCK DEMOLITION

THURSDAY JULY 28 TH 6.30PM

@ SIGHTHILL PRIMARY SCHOOL,

8 FOUNTAINWELL PLACE, SIGHTHILL GLASGOW G21

Invited Speakers: MSPs Paul Martin (Labour)

Sandra White (SNP); Colin Fox (SSP);

ALSO invited: Bob Maguire (Compass/GHA); Martin Doran (GMB Concierge workers union); and Sean Clerkin (Glasgow SOH)

GHA Ltd have deliberately LIED TO YOU saying they had ‘no plans” and “no decision had been made” on Sighthill's future. TV journalists told us they'd seen redevelopment plans. Plans tenants have NOT seen! GHA Ltd have deliberately run-down Fountainwell by: -

· NOT investing in repairs; leakages; dampness; clearing graffiti or rubbish;

· Threatening to remove the 24-hour concierge service leaving no night cover.

· NOT letting to new tenants since January 2005 and getting others moved out

· Sealing off whole landings with metal shutters in 2/4 Fountainwell Terrace

· Offering up F'well as a site for Glasgow's 2014 Commonwealth Games Bid

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN

COME HAVE YOUR SAY ON WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT GHA Ltd !