My home is being BULLDOZED by the council and I had no idea – I’ve owned it for three years but now I’m being kicked out
A RESIDENT says his home is due to be bulldozed by the council but he had no idea – and now he’s being kicked out.
Homeowner Ayman, 39, has lived on Co-operative Street in Goldthorpe, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, for three years and claims he had “no idea” the council was planning to knock down his home in the future.
He told Yorkshire Live: “I saw them boarding up the houses across the road last week with metal but I had no idea what was happening.
“I would have thought with something like this that the council would have sent a letter or at least got in touch and told us but we’ve not heard anything.
“It’s quite worrying and not a good feeling – I don’t like the fact that they’ve said it’s going to be compulsory, how are they allowed to do that?”
Ayman added though he would be willing to sell his home if the council contacted him but it would depend on the price he was offered.
He said that he would need to stay in the area because he had children in the nearby school.
Ayman also said one downside of living in the area was the crime, which described as being “quite bad” as there lots of criminals about.
Other residents affected said it was a “good thing” the houses were going to be flattened.
Plans revealed by Barnsley Council show it intends to spend nearly £3million to buy and demolish some 30 terraced homes as part of a wider scheme to build new council housing.
The houses on Co-Operative Street and Victoria Street have all been purchased by the council, except for 16 homes where the council was unable to establish who the owners are.
The council has bought 14 of the homes, with the owner voluntarily selling.
Barnsley Council offered them the market value of the property, plus seven and a half per cent as a “basic loss payment” to the landlords.
So far, more than £1.7million has been spent on purchase costs with £441,000 being spent on compensation to the homeowners.
Several of the properties have already had their windows and doors boarded up in preparation.
A woman, who was not identified, said it was a “good thing” the homes were being knocked down but added her home was in the council’s “third phase” so she wouldn’t be moving any time soon.
Her neighbour agreed, calling the area a “dump” with rubbish all over the place.
They added the locals had “lost respect” for the street.
With the cases of the homes where it cannot establish who the owner is, Barnsley Council has said it will use its compulsory purchasing powers to buy them.
Compulsory purchase orders – know your rights
Compulsory purchase order (CPO) is a legal mechanism by which certain bodies, often councils, can acquire land without the consent of the owner, according to the government’s website.
It is important that you keep a comprehensive record of all communications with the acquiring authority, including notes of any meetings.
You should also keep detailed records of all expenses incurred and losses sustained as you may be able to recover these as part of your claim for compensation.
Those affected by compulsory purchase are under a duty to “mitigate losses”.
This means, effectively, that if you have to employ a removals firm, you need to get at least two quotes from reputable firms and opt for the cheapest.
Homeowners do have the right to submit an objection to the CPO this can be done either through a public inquiry or by written submissions.
There is generally a right to compensation if your land is compulsorily acquired.
This varies depending on the type of property – commercial, agricultural or residential.
In general though for residents, you can get compensation for:
- The value of the land taken
- Disturbance payments
- Loss payments
Anyone affected by a CPO is advised to seek professional guidance.
Another man who has lived on the street for 15 years said he would be “glad to see the back of it,” adding the area had declined, particularly with the fatal stabbing of Lazarus Makono, 26, at a property on Co-Operative Street and died on February 21.
Barnsley Council has previously said the new homes will create a “safe living environment with reduced levels of antisocial behaviour, fly-tipping and crime”.
It intends to build nine new, energy-efficient council homes on the site of the former buildings, which will “diversify” property types in the area.
Kellie, 26, who lives on Victoria Street with her partner and two young kids, said it wasn’t ideal that she had to move with having young children but added they had no option.
She added that in recent years the crime had become worse and she questioned that by building new homes that would change things.
The council has said that if it is unable to buy the homes, it could lose funding for the scheme and if the plans do not go ahead, the current issues of crime and anti-social behaviour in Goldthorpe would not be addressed.
Under the plans, local jobs will be created during construction and will lead to a reduction in the number of empty properties and turnover of private rented properties in the area.
The council intends to apply to the Secretary of State to acquire the land where the ownership is not known “as a measure of last resort”.
Should it get the green light, the council will be able to compulsorily acquire the land.
The Sun Online had contacted Barnsley Council for comment.