Labour Councillor for Victoria Ian Gilbert has spoken to CouncilBust.com about his concerns over housing in the Victoria ward.
In the full council meeting last week, councillors discussed the changes Tesco have made to their proposed building plan on the site near Southend Victoria Station.
The supermarket chain originally said it would build affordable housing as well as a new store on the old B&Q site, but has since withdrawn its housing offer, claiming it is unaffordable in the current economic climate.
As other councillors expressed frustration at Tesco’s apparent decision, Cllr Gilbert voiced his concerns over building affordable housing in the area at all.
Today, Cllr Gilbert told CouncilBust.com: “I do regret that the affordable family housing, which was at one point suggested as part of this development, is not being included.
“However, the tower block which was proposed for the front corner of the development would have drawn objections from nearby residents, and I remain of the opinion that high-rise living is not good answer to our shortage of affordable housing.
“Parking in the Milton Street area is a nightmare, and residents fear that it will get even worse when the existing car parking is closed, so I’m raising this issue at every opportunity.”
