Proposed Redesign Project For The Plas Madoc Estate

A report will go before the Council’s Executive Board on Tuesday, asking members to approve the first stages of a proposed redesign project for the Plas Madoc estate. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report recommends the demolition of a total of 22 three storey properties in the Peris and Gwynant areas of the estate, to allow these areas to be redeveloped. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report notes a “consultation with residents affected indicated that demolition would be a popular option. The residents felt that simply refurbishing the properties to Welsh Housing Quality Standard would not guarantee desirability of the properties. It was universally agreed that the environment and landscape of the area needs addressing and improving.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report also says that the three storey properties due to be demolished “offer little to the environment and landscape of the area” and that “they are generally unpopular and difficult to let.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If approved, the demolition of the two sites will allow a number of environmental improvements to take place which will include providing more off street parking space, improving the visibility for surrounding buildings and allow for new trees, plants and landscape design work to be carried out. There will also be an opportunity for new properties to be built at the Gywnant site, as part of the Council Housing Building Programme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report recommends that the demolition of the properties at Peris and Gwynant should take place ahead of the housing improvement work which is due to be carried out on the Plas Madoc estate this year, as part of the Council’s comprehensive project to bring all its housing up to the Welsh Government’s Welsh Housing Quality Standard by 2020. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A number of internal and external improvements are planned to be carried out on properties, where required, including new kitchens and bathrooms, central heating systems and electrical rewiring. External Wall Insulation will also be installed on around 400 of Plas Madoc’s Cubbit (steel framed) houses. This is intended to improve the energy performance and external appearance of the properties. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Lead Member for Housing, Cllr Ian Roberts, commented, ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I will be very pleased to present the report to members on Tuesday. The improvement work due to be carried out to properties in Plas Madoc has given us an ideal opportunity to look at the area as a whole and come up with an attractive and forward thinking solution for tackling the inherent problems and issues with design and layout which currently exist within Plas Madoc. If approved, the demolition of properties in Peris and Gwynant will allow us to make a real start on these improvements. It will be huge step in the right direction for this to be resolved this before Welsh Housing Quality Standard improvement works commence later in the year.“ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report states that the cost of the demolition is expected to be offset by the savings made in not having to carry out improvement works on these properties, and that “an early decision on these two sites will ensure, that monies are not wasted by renewing kitchens, bathrooms, wiring, heating, fences, paths etc. that would ultimately not be required.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council’s project to bring its properties up to the Welsh Housing Quality standard received a huge boost in February when the Council’s Executive Board approved a record £54m investment on improvement work to be carried out in 2015/16. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​