Larger homes plan as families expand
FOUR and five bedroom homes are due to be built in a regeneration area following calls for more housing for large families.
Members of the Asian community have previously called for terrace houses to be knocked through to create bigger homes in Shelton after complaining there was little choice for extended families.
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DERELICT: Resident Mohammad Amjid Wazir outside the former Howard Pottery building, on Norfolk Street, which will be demolished to make way for housing. Picture: Cara Edgington
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Name(s) GV of the former pottery factory buildings on Norfolk Street which will be demolished to make way for new housing. Brief: New homes are planned to be built on Shelton's Norfolk Street, helping to provide more housing aimed at larger Asian families. Reporter: Ciara Hill
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Now plans have been lodged to build 18 two and three-storey homes on the site of a former pottery factory in Norfolk Street, Shelton.
The development will include six four-bedroom and four five-bedroom townhouses.
Councillor Brian Ward, cabinet member for regeneration, said: "The plan is to build homes to meet the needs of the local community.
"There is a need for larger housing in the area to accommodate families, so the design has taken that into account.
"We are looking to secure the funding needed so we can set a potential date for construction to start."
Some of the houses will be offered for sale, with the remainder offered for rent.
It comes as latest figures show the city council has just 153 four bedroom, two five bedroom and nine six bedroom properties in its 19,228 council housing stock.
The Norfolk Works, which was latterly renamed Howard Pottery, closed in the 1990s.
Enid Davis, aged 76, of Chatham Street, said: "The building is in a very untidy state and new houses would improve the neighbourhood.
"Walking along the canal is lovely but the factory site is in such a bad state, it definitely wants something doing to it."
Father-of-two Mohammad Amjid Wazir, aged 50, of Croston Street, said: "I've lived here since 1982 and I remember the pottery before it closed.
"New housing is needed. My family is the exception to the norm in this community because I only have two children, but I know families where three generations live together and I know a man who has nine children.
"Sometimes these larger families have to knock together two terrace houses to get enough space.
"The factory is an eyesore and it attracts fly tipping. People dump mattresses, fridges and rubbish."
The planning application has provoked concern from organisations seeking to retain the character and history of the area.
The Potteries Heritage Society believes options to retain parts of the existing buildings should be considered, while English Heritage has lodged an objection.
Historic adviser Michael Taylor said: "These buildings represent a piece of historic Potteries Townscape which is becoming rarer.
"Even in their dilapidated state they contribute positively to the character of the Caldon Canal Conservation Area."
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by rob, castle
Monday, March 15 2010, 9:03PM
“face doesn;t fit ,my comments were directed at the career breeders, not people who have kids out of love of the child rather than the benefits they earn.The reason the government hasn;t helped you is because you are probably a genuine case”
by Bill, Stoke
Monday, March 15 2010, 4:41PM
“A non-story. I'm bemused by people like Alan, Staffs and their nonsensical stereotypical view on the world. In this city it' the Asians that pay their way and the whites that claim benefits.”
by Ivan K., Hanley
Monday, March 15 2010, 4:28PM
“Rob, agreed. No-one can seriously disagree that we simply can't go on like this indefinitely, unless we increase the working age for senior citizens to even higher than the coming changes of 69 years for men & 65 for women. Will we all soon have to work to well over 70 to keep the status quo?
Govt can push the people only so far. Any further & I can see even more people who can afford to simply emigrating for a better & fairer life elsewhere. As for shortage of housing stock": problems are that as well as over-generous child benefits for those who breed but NEVER work, common sense tells us that we need to drastically cut immigration until we can at least provide adequate housing for people already living here. Nothing racist about that realism. Also, doing something about all the empty homes throughout the land would help greatly.”
by E.B., Stoke
Monday, March 15 2010, 4:25PM
“Rob,The bone idle scroungers can't live on the benefits for two kids,All this will do is give them more reason to keep on breeding,So they can get , MORE BENEFITS.
The state should pay for two children, If they want anymore they should pay for them themselves like normal people who have some moral fibre.
Before you numbnuts jump in,
I am not talking about the genuine claimants,I am on about the dossers who have made the benefit system their lifestyle,and have no intention of finding work,”
by Rob, Stoke
Monday, March 15 2010, 3:54PM
“It is our over genorous benefits system that is at fault, people are paid to keep producing kids, some people, again agreeing with Ivan, white, black and asian see kids as an additional income.
At present the more kids you have the more you get paid, so these people keep having them, knowing the mugs who work will continue to support their numbers of kids, then they maon and want bigger houses.
I work and have paid to own my 3 bed house, with just 2 kids, my wife also works. We decided to have kids but have paid our own way. Because of that my lads do not get things like EMA, while those kids of parents who have never worked get £30 a week.
Now they want even bigger houses so they can have even more kids, well fine if you want but pay for them yourself.”