19
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1987
"THE HOME PURCHASE LOAN SCHEME. WHICH WILL OFFER A LOAN AT NIL INTEREST TO MEET PART OF THE PURCHASE PRICE OF A FLAT OF THEIR OWN CHOICE, IS INTENDED TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS," MR FORD SAID.
HE SAID THIS PART OF THE STRATEGY HAD CAUSED THE MOST PUBLIC COMMENT, WHICH SOME HAD SUGGESTED THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF SUCH A SCHEME WOULD INFLATE FLAT PRICES, AND MUCH HAD BEEN MADE OF THE SIZE OF THE LOAN WHICH MANY HAD DESCRI AS INADEQUATE.
INCREASED
EXTENDED TO OTHERS
OTHERS SUGGESTED THAT THE CH JICE OF FLATS SHOULD BE BY ALLOWING THOSE TAKING THE LOAN TO BUY SECOND-HAND FLATS. IT HAD ALSO BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THE SCH?M* SHOULD BE THAN PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS AND CLEAREES.
STRIKING THE RIGHT COMMENTS WHICH MAD
IT WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT EASY TO BE SURE OF BALANCE IN A NEW SCHEME OF THIS NATURE AND THE BEEN MADE WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IN FINALISING THE DETAILS OF THE SCHEME.
ADJUSTMENTS COULD BE MADE AS EXPERIENCE WAS GAINED OF THE
WORKING OF THE SCHEME, MR FORD SAID.
"THE THIRD ASPECT OF THE LONG TERM HOUSING STRATEGY IS THE PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME. THE PRESENT REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IS RESTRICTED TO NON-SELF-CONTAINED BLOCKS. THE NEW STRATEGY EXTENDS THIS TO OTHER OLDER BLOCKS WHERE CONDITIONS WILL NOT BE COMPATIBLE WITH RISING HOUSING STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS," HE ADDED.
ON THREE ENLARGED
HE SAID HE KNEW THAT SOME CONCERN HAD BEEN EXPRESSED ASPECTS OF THIS PROPOSAL. THE FIRST WAS THAT AN REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE WAITING LIST. AS MOST OF THE REDEVELOPMENT WOULD TAKE PLACE IN THE SECOND PART OF THE 1990'S BY WHICH TIME OUTSTANDING DEMAND SHOULD BE LARGELY MET THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.
THE SECOND CONCERN WAS THAT THOSE NOW LIVING IN THESE ESTATES WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MOVE TO OTHER AREAS. THE REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME WOULD BE DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION WAS PROVIDED IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA, WITH A MIXTURE OF HOME OWNERSHIP AND RENTAL FLATS TAILORED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE AFFECTED BY THE REDEVELOPMENT.
MR FORD ASSURED THAT THE REDEVELOPMENT SCHEME WAS NOT SOME DEVIOUS DEVICE DESIGNED TO ENABLE GOVERNMENT TO ACQUIRE DESIRABLE URBAN SITES FOR SALE TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR As SOME CRITICS HAD SUGGESTED.
THE LAST POINT WAS THE CONCERN THAT THOSE AFFECTED BY REDEVELOPMENT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE RENTS IN THE NEW ESTATES. EXPERIENCE OF PRESENT REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS SUGGESTED THAT THIS WAS UNLIKELY TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM, BUT IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE NEED TO RETAIN SOME CHEAPER FLATS MUST BE INCORPORATED INTO REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME TO ENSURE THAT THE OVERRIDING CRITERION HOUSING SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AT AFFORDABLE PRICES WAS MAINTAINED.
THE
THAT
/HE SAID