NO OPTION FOR US SAY PROTESTING 400

WHY DEMOLISH THE

FLATS WE WANT?

Protests and a petition failed to save 16 one-bedroom maisonette flats in  Borland Avenue, Botcherby, Carlisle  seen here being pulled down by Riverside Housing Association.

One- bedroom social housing such as this  is  desperately short in the city –  sixty per cent of all  applicants want one-bedroom. And the bedroom tax has made the shortage worse.

Botcherby councillor, Robert Betton who organised the protests and the  petition says:”Why demolish the flats we want?.

“These flats are  being pulled down without proper consultation - the Botcherby people who wanted to keep them  have been ignored,” he says.

Robert also wants to know why no investment was made in the flats during the recent Botcherby Regeneration Scheme. He also wants to know  when  Riverside will end its policy of demolishing  one-bedroom social houses throughout Carlisle.

Riverside, a giant organisation based in Liverpool , will build  eleven two and three-bedroom houses on the site of the flats. ”This is the best option for the area”, says Riverside in its newsletter.

The 400 people who signed the petition don`t agree –emphatically. They say they have been ignored by Riverside. Now they say. ”Demolition is an option decided by Riverside We had no option.”

Community Voice Carlisle says: This is another Riverside decision  about the future of a Carlisle community made a hundred miles away in Liverpool. These decisions should be made democratically in Carlisle and  local people  should be properly consulted.

The Carlisle  activists group, Axe the Bedroom Tax, plan a demonstration outside the flats  next Tuesday (August 20) at 12 noon.

Community Voice Carlisle is the blog of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents `Federation.  Information about the Federation is contained in the first blog, dated March 25.