Dear Sir,

Having read the letter in this week’s Newton News I need to express my concerns regarding Livin’s wish to demolish the West Ward and rebuild.

I live in Eskdale Place and my 71 year old mother lives around the corner from me. We both own our homes and both went to the Livin consultation in Whinlatter Place.

Myself and others expressed great concern about Livin’s plans, having bought my home and over the past six years spent nearly £20,000 on renovations, so I was quite taken aback by their preferred option to demolish all 514 houses.

I explained that most of the properties, which are in poor condition, are owned by buy-to-let landlords who are only interested in maximum rental income for minimum upkeep and that these should be either brought back up to standard by the landlords or bought back by Livin and then brought back up to standard.

As a homeowner my partner and I have gone to considerable effort to make our home modern and comfortable, however since this meeting all planned work on the property will stop other than essential repairs.

It is clear to me that those of us who own our own homes will be the losers in all this if Livin go ahead. If we are compulsory purchased then we will only be offered the market value of the property + 10% and other costs which as I stated to the staff at the meeting would be no-where near enough to buy a home of comparable standard in Newton Aycliffe. This would mean that I would have to get another mortgage and then carry out the same renovations I have just done all over again, which is unfair.

For example my kitchen cost £6,000 and is just over a year old. I did ask if we would be able to purchase one of these

proposed new properties and was told yes. However it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that one of these properties would more than likely cost double what the compulsory purchase price would be.

If the preferred option does go ahead then all of my partners and my own retirement plans would be ruined since we are now mortgage free and we were both looking to use the money we would normally pay out each month to put towards our retirement.

My partner has finally been able to reduce her working hours as we thought we would be able to comfortably manage but this may no longer be the case if the preferred option goes ahead.

It is also clear to me that the winners in all this will be the buy to let landlords, many of whom will actually profit from this development having purchased their property for under £8000.

My mother lives around the corner from me which is very handy as I help care for her and she dog sits for me whilst I am at work. She is 71 and settled in her home. Do you really think at her age she wants to move and start again?

Is the wholesale demolition of this area the preferred option simply because Livin would get funding for this and for the other two options

funding would not be available?

Looking at the plans it is unclear just how many homes would be built but it is abundantly clear just how much green space would be lost. One of the reasons I bought my home in the first place was the amount of green spaces around.

I would be very interested to hear just how many people turned up to the latest Livin consultation as a great many people I have spoken to since this latest meeting had no idea this is what livin are planning. I would also be very interested to know how many homes Livin propose to build on the site.

If Newton News could keep me informed of any meetings etc. regarding this then I would be most grateful as at the minute it is like we are in limbo and our future is uncertain.

Resident, Eskdale Place

Name & address supplied