This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Castlemilk Housing Shows Community Ownership Is Way Forward - Curran -Fifty New Homes Unveiled-
04/12/2000
The work of a Castlemilk housing co-operative shows that community ownership delivers lasting benefits for local people, Deputy Social Justice Minister Margaret Curran said today.
She welcomed the 15 th birthday of Castlemilk East Housing Co-operative, whose work in providing 350 new or improved homes in partnership with Scottish Homes has helped to turn the area's fortunes around.
Opening the latest ?4m development of 54 homes for rent, Ms Curran said:
"One of the biggest challenges in Glasgow is the proposed transfer of council housing to the new not-for-profit Glasgow Housing Association. But this challenge also presents a massive opportunity to deliver change and community renewal.
"We can see the potential for Glasgow as a whole by looking at areas like Castlemilk. The new development was led by tenants and funded jointly by Scottish Homes and the private sector. This approach works.
"But housing regeneration is about more than bricks and mortar. Investment must go hand-in-hand with employment, improved amenities and services, safety and crime prevention. The Housing Co-operative value this wider role.
"They are involved in an estate maintenance programme which gives 20 long-term unemployed people a chance to gain recognised training certificates and work experience. And they participate in the New Deal and helped to develop a website providing easy access for tenants to information about the Co-operative and other local housing associations.
"The message is clear. When local housing associations put tenants in the driving seat, when public and private sectors work together to bring much needed investment, communities can be transformed."
BACKGROUND
1. The development in the Machrie/Barlia area of Castlemilk provides 54 homes for low cost rent with funding from Scottish Homes (£2.8m) and private sector (£1.1m). Scottish Homes, and their predecessor the Housing Corporation of Scotland, have invested around £18.5m in Castlemilk East Housing Co-operative over the last 15 years.
2. The housing information website is: http://www.castlemilk-housing.co.uk/ and was designed by a local project in Castlemilk, called 'EV Works'. This is a Glasgow Works project that was set up to offer training and work experience to long-term unemployed people in the area of new technology and working with the World Wide Web. The end result was the setting up of 'EV' - Castlemilk's Electronic Village.
News Release: SE3125/2000
4 Dec 2000