Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal – Compulsory Purchase Orders (Howard Street and Thrushcraigs Housing Regeneration Areas)
Renfrewshire Council · 13 January 2026
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 13 January 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal – Compulsory Purchase Orders (Howard Street and Thrushcraigs Housing Regeneration Areas) ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme moves into its fourth year and whilst very strong progress has been made in relation to the voluntary acquisition of the properties approved for demolition, there is an emerging need to exercise compulsory purchase powers in relation to a small number of the remaining privately owned properties. 1.2 The acquisition of the remaining privately owned properties approved for demolition is necessary to ensure that there are no adverse impacts on the approved programme timelines. 1.3 This report focusses on the Howard Street and Thrushcraigs Housing Regeneration Areas where authorisation is sought for the promotion of compulsory purchase orders in respect of the remaining privately owned properties in these areas. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Authorise the Head of Housing Services to promote a Compulsory Purchase Order in relation to the one remaining privately owned property in the Howard Street Housing Regeneration Area at 0/1, 39 McKerrell Street, Paisley, PA1 1NJ.
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PUBLIC 2.2 Authorise the Head of Housing Services to promote a Compulsory Purchase Order in relation to the three remaining privately owned properties in the Thrushcraigs Housing Regeneration Area outlined in Table 1, Section 3.7 of this report. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Boards of 18 January and 15 March 2022 authorised the Council’s Housing-Led Regeneration Programme, with eight Housing Regeneration Areas in the first phase. Howard Street Housing Regeneration Area 3.2 The Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 15 March 2022 approved revised proposals for the Howard Street Housing Regeneration Area following additional, targeted consultation with affected tenants, owners and private tenants. The revised proposals include selective demolition of eleven blocks of three-storey flats within McKerrell Street, Ladyburn Street and Howard Street. These revised proposals required the acquisition of eleven privately owned properties, with ten of the eleven properties now successfully acquired on a voluntary basis. 3.3 As a result of this progress on voluntary acquisitions, demolition is currently programmed to commence in early 2026. 3.4 However, despite persistent efforts by officers to engage with the proprietor of 0/1, 39 McKerrell Street, Paisley, PA1 1NJ to agree a voluntary acquisition of their property, they have yet to facilitate access for an independent valuation that would allow negotiations to progress and accordingly, to avoid any delays that would affect the demolition programme for this area, authorisation is now sought for compulsory purchase of this property. Efforts to acquire the property on a voluntary basis would continue whilst the compulsory purchase process progresses. Thrushcraigs Housing Regeneration Area 3.5 The proposals for the Thrushcraigs Housing Regeneration Area were approved by the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 18 January 2022. The approved proposals for this area will see full demolition of all existing tenement blocks, sixteen blocks in total, including six privately owned properties with new build housing on the cleared site. 3.6 As a result of the significant council ownership in the Thrushcraigs area, demolition is already underway with 18-22 Thrushcraigs Crescent already demolished whilst it anticipated that demolition of 51-53 Thrushcraigs Crescent will commence in January 2026.
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PUBLIC 3.7 Whilst progress has been made on voluntary acquisitions in the area with three of the six privately owned properties now successfully acquired, authority is now being sought for the promotion of a compulsory purchase order in relation to the remaining three properties outlined in Table 1. Despite repeated efforts to engage with the remaining private owners, all private landlords, voluntary agreement has not yet been forthcoming. Accordingly, authority for CPO is sought to ensure that demolition plans can proceed in accordance with the approved programme avoiding delays in delivery of new build housing in this area. Efforts to acquire the property on a voluntary basis would continue whilst the compulsory purchase process progresses. Table 1 Address Tenure Flat 1.1 28 Thrushcraigs Crescent, Paisley, PA2 6PR Private Landlord - Occupied Flat G.1 101 Rowan Street, Paisley, PA2 6RY Private Landlord - Unoccupied Flat 2.2 103 Rowan Street, Paisley, PA2 6RY Private Landlord – Occupied ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial - the cost of acquisitions and subsequent demolition is already included in capital budgets for the Housing-Led Regeneration Programme. 2. HR & Organisational Development – none. 3. Community/Council Planning – Reshaping our place, our economy and our future – improving neighbourhoods and introducing new social rent and shared equity opportunities to current and future residents. Building strong, safe and resilient communities – increasing resident satisfaction with neighbourhoods and communities. 4. Legal - conveyancing and legal advice associated with the CPOs for both Howard Street and Thrushcraigs HRAs, including advice and representation at any hearings/inquiries should either CPO be opposed. 5. Property/Assets – acquisition of additional properties which while subsequently be demolished and in the case of Thrushcraigs replaced with new build properties on the cleared site. 6. Information Technology – none.
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PUBLIC 7. Equality & Human Rights - (a) The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. The exercise of compulsory purchase powers by its nature balances the human rights of property owners to peaceful enjoyment of their possessions with the public interest in delivery of the regeneration programme. All compulsory purchase orders are submitted to the Scottish Ministers for confirmation who will assess whether the public interest in the programme being delivered by an acquiring authority justifies the deprivation of any human rights and confirmation of a CPO confirms that in the opinion of the Scottish Ministers that this is proportionate in the circumstances. 8. Health & Safety – none - planned demolition is in accordance with the approved regeneration programme for the areas and is not reflective of the condition of the properties. 9. Procurement – none. 10. Risk – main risk will be failure to deliver the HR+R programme in full without full ownership of all privately owned properties, reputational damage and failure to maximise public benefits from the programme 11. Privacy Impact – none. 12. Climate Risk – none. 13. Children’s Rights – none. 14. Cosla Policy Position – none. _______________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Report to Council, 17 December 2020, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire’ (b) Report to the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 18 May 2021, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire’ (c) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board of 18 January 2022: Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Report (d) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board of 15 March 2022: Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme – Consultation Update ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Author: Jennifer Murdoch, Housing Regeneration Manager Email: Jennifer.Murdoch@renfrewshire.gov.uk