Item 10 - Appendix 1
West Dunbartonshire Council · 28 February 2024
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 28 February 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Willox Park OPTIONS APPRAISAL CONSULTATION DOCUMENT ITEM 10 - APPENDIX 1
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Please tell us what you think: Following recent surveys we have found a number of problems with the homes at Willox Park. We now need to decide on the future of the complex. This document sets out the options that we are asking tenants to give us their thoughts on. You will have 8 weeks to tell us your thoughts and we will have drop in sessions in the common room and will happily speak to you in person or on the phone. We will then present the findings from this consultation to elected members in the new year in a paper and the elected members will make the final decision. 8 weeks consultation: closes 10th January Dates of drop in sessions (Willox Park Common Room): Tuesday 28 November – 10am – 12pm Wednesday 13 December - 10am – 12pm Friday 5 January – 10am – 12pm My contact details: Emily Dorrian Emily.Dorrian@west-dunbarton.gov.uk 07785656625
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Option A: maintain current status The works will involve: •Only works identified in existing asset plans will be done when they reach the end of life e.g. kitchens, bathrooms, and windows etc. •Repairs and maintenance to continue for occupied homes. •Empty homes will not be re-let because of ongoing concerns about dampness. Pros and cons: •Wider complex will become less vibrant as homes slowly become empty and contrast with new build homes when they are built. •Properties will continue to deteriorate due to dampness and other defects •The council will lose rental income but will need to maintain and invest in less homes. •Presented here because it is an option which offers the least disturbance to existing tenants.
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Option B: Refurbishment The works will involve: •Strip back to brick internally & externally •Apply damp proof solution to floors and walls •Potential structural works to add second fire exit off bedroom/ improve layouts •replace doors, windows, roofs, gutters, kitchens, bathrooms, external wall insulation, new plastered ceilings and walls internally, loft insulation, rewire, heating systems replaced with heat pumps & radiators. •Tenants would need to move out of their home and works completed on a block by block basis. •Works to each block will take around a year done so it will be a multi year project. •Existing common room would be refurbished. Some pros and cons: •These works are disruptive to tenants and expensive to complete. •Refurbishment works would not start until phase 1 new build homes are completed. •Only 10 to 20 year guarantee on damp proof solutions risks problems returning. •May find additional structural or other problems once work starts •Homes will be much more energy efficient with new insulation. •Homes will be different after works are completed. •There is a risk that homes no longer meet modern building standards for older households due to layout and we will not be allowed to let them to this group.
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Option B: Refurbishment photos Picture showing a room stripped back to brick internally. Picture showing a house stripped back to brick externally, new windows fitted and roofing works underway
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Option C: Redevelopment The works will involve: •Demolish the existing homes in phases •Build new energy efficient homes, the properties will be larger and meet modern accessibility standards for older households. •A new common room would be built, phasing of this is to be confirmed but a temporary solution will be found if needed. •Tenants would move into the phase 1 new homes (care homes site) to allow phased demolition and redevelopment. •Exact design to be consulted on with tenants but based on similar to phase 1 then could get a further 20-25 new homes on the site. Some pros and cons: •Demolishing and redeveloping is disruptive to tenants. •Demolition and redevelopment works would not start until phase 1 new build homes are completed. •Developing new homes is expensive. However, we can access Scottish Government grant funding towards new homes to reduce costs for the council.. •A new common room will provide better meeting and gathering space. •New homes will have better layouts and will have more energy efficient building fabric which should reduce running costs. •New homes would be expected to last 100+ years.
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Option C: Redevelopment photos Artist impression of phase 1 development showing potential entrance to new development Artist impression showing courtyard area for residents on phase 1 development.
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Option D: Hybrid The works will involve: •Demolishing some homes, keeping some of the existing homes and building some new homes. •This will require all the same steps which are listed in the both the refurbishment options and in the redevelopment options. •Common room may stay in existing location or may be able to develop a new one. Some pros and cons: •Both refurbishing and demolishing/ redeveloping is disruptive to tenants. •Existing homes may wane in popularity in comparison to newer ones with better layouts. •Unknown at the moment which houses would be kept and which would be demolished.
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Option form: Please tell us your house number: Please tell us which option you’d like to choose: You may tick or cross one option. Option A: Maintain current status Option B: Refurbishment Option C: Redevelopment Option D: Hybrid (bit of both 2&3) Comment box: Please use this to tell us any thoughts you have about the future of Willox Park.
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Option form: Please tell us your house number: Please tell us which option you’d like to choose: You may tick or cross one option. Option A: Maintain current status Option B: Refurbishment Option C: Redevelopment Option D: Hybrid (bit of both 2&3) Comment box: Please use this to tell us any thoughts you have about the future of Willox Park.