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Cllr Lee said ' We have to look at viability in each of the strategic development locations'
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'We won't build sink estates'

By Caroline Cook
November 25, 2011

Vast sink estates of housing will not be built in the Wokingham borough when development begins on the council’s four planned mini-towns.

As part of the council’s Core Strategy it has outlined four areas around the borough for housing developments, with a 35 per cent minimum level of affordable housing in new areas built in the next 15 years.

Councillor Charlotte Haitham-Taylor, ward member for Shinfield South, asked the council leader at a meeting of the full council on Thursday, November 17, what the ratio would mean for those living the south of the M4 proposed development location.

Council leader Councillor David Lee gave his assurance that plans for new housing around the borough will not see sink estates, which are characterised by high levels of economic and social deprivation, being built.

He said: “I think it’s important that everybody remembers what we mean by affordable housing and what is meant by 35 per cent minimum in the core strategy.

“It says we will look at sites on a site-by-site basis so that does not mean we will automatically put that in.

“It’s not this authority’s intention to build vast sink estates.

“We have to look at viability in each of the strategic development locations.

“We have no intention of building sink estates in this authority.”

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Most recent user comments 6 of 6

Rather than build more houses why doesn't the council simply move families in which no-one works or wants to work to areas of the country where there is empty and cheap housing. The lack of jobs there will not worry them and a house will be freed up for those willing to work.

PoneRana, Wokingham
27/11/2011 at 10:55

No councill has ever built a Sink Estate, council estates were always built and then normally occupied by working class families who looked after the estate in the same way that the middle classes looked after their private estates. Unfortunately the system has been changed and some social housing has been handed over to those who will not work and have no respect for the estate that they live on. They expect a life of ease paid for by those around them but often repay society by illegal and unlawful behaviour. Sink estates contain mainly good honest people but become sink estates because of the behaviour of a few, Remove these few from the estate and the estate wil once again thrive.

William Richards
25/11/2011 at 17:18

35% is enormous and more than most other new developments I have seen. I'm all for social mobility an all, but having a massive mortgage and a family on benefits / house paid by the state next door in the exact same house makes for very annoyed people (I know that's a generalisation but you get my point)...

alex_f, Wokingham
25/11/2011 at 16:13

Is a Sink Estate, a housing development build on a flood plain?

Ivor Biggun, winnersh
25/11/2011 at 09:44

Does a 'sink estate' mean a large housing estate of social housing (council houses)? isn't that how all council housing estates work? How will these be different? I can't see it.