Questions asked over Burnt Mill flats and when they will be occupied
News / Tue 24th Sep 2024 at 10:24am
A MEMBER of the Harlow Alliance Party has asked Harlow Council what progress they have made regarding the Burnt Mill flats, purchased earlier this year.
Mr Steve Barnes asked the question.
Having purchased the new flat block built on the former Motorsales site back in January, I am very surprised to note that to date no-one appears to have moved in yet.
Can you advise me if Building Regulation Completion Certificates have been issued on this block bearing in mind the situation at Sycamore Fields and whether as part of the Councils contract the Design Fire Safety Engineers have been engaged on a continuing post completion contract?
Council Dan Brown responded: As you will recall, the council moved at extraordinary pace to be able to buy this development for the benefit of Harlow residents.As part of the purchase process for Millbrook Studios, extensive due diligence was undertaken by professional consultants including assurance review that the building complies with requirements under The Fire Safety Act 2021 (FSA) and the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA).
As I am sure you would expect both during the purchase process and as we are moving though the required activity to bring the property to market ongoing compliance of the FSA and BSA are fundamental, and we are complying in every way necessary with those requirements.
voteforme
2024-09-24 12:47:54
"Council Dan Swords (not Brown)responded: As you will recall, the council moved at extraordinary pace to be able to buy this development for the benefit of Harlow residents" So, some 7 months later no one has moved in, hardly a continuation of "extraordinary pace" and because no moving in date was offered should we presume that such a date doesn't yet exist. Dan has never disclosed in YH the purchase price, what should we make of this. Dan , this was a feather in your cap but it is looking a bit ragged.
Seamus
2024-09-24 13:47:07
I wondered if despite the claim of "we bought it before Newham" If Harlow council have actually just been the smaller partner in a two council purchase? 172 homes in that development but not long after it was announced only one third of homes will be offered to those on the Harlow council waiting list. The rest of the homes are to be offered to anyone at market rate rents. Market rate rents say, paid by Newham council and their London overspill. Was the great win, really a concocted charade? Only one third for Harlow waiting list people would certainly give credance to the possibility.
Nicholas Taylor
2024-09-24 15:48:09
Back in December 2023 Newham Council published their intention to buy this block but within a month Cllr Swords was saying Harlow Council had bought it, no doubt with an eye to the local elections just 4 months away. Anyone buying just one house or flat knows the legal process can take months to complete and in some cases the sale falls through. In due course it will be intersting to see from Land Registry the date the sale was completed. Cllr Swords has failed to say why no-one has moved in yet, what sort of tenancy those on the council's housing register will be given and what rent they will be charged. Lets hope that by the time Christmas comes along many Harlow residents will be living in a new home.
David Forman
2024-09-24 17:18:03
Nicholas Taylor mentions Land Registry. Given the delays on assigning legal title by Land Registry, plus figuring out what is for sale or rent it would explain the delays.
Nicholas Taylor
2024-09-24 20:57:52
David, funnily enough, I actually have first hand experience of this only today. Turnround has taken about 3 weeks.
David Forman
2024-09-25 03:35:52
Nicholas, turnaround of 3 weeks on one unit I assume. Burnt Mill flats is 172 units with mixed tenure, so a lot more delay.
gary roberts
2024-09-25 06:43:48
Dan Swords is trying to tell the residents' of Harlow: Trust me I am a Conservative. How that helps people waiting for a home via the council's housing needs register I do not know. In fact it does not. Using the Land Registry as a defence insults the integrity of council staff working on it. Mind you all this "paperwork" should have been completed by the vendor prior to sale because if not all the council bought was the land not the homes or the building.
Nicholas Taylor
2024-09-25 08:36:22
David, the land registry issue can only be about the footprint of the land on which the flats have been built, not about individual flats which are let to council tenants. The issue of rents charged, tenancy types and lots more must have been assessed before the purchase simply to ensure the figures stacked up. On a slightly different note, I have become aware that the new block at Wych Elm is being used by a London Borough to provide a home for a family at a rent of £1600 per month.
Sarah
2024-09-25 15:05:53
Why is it when we say local homes for local people the comments get taken down?
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