Campaigners make desperate last-ditch bid to save traditional old people’s complex in Harborough

Furious campaigners are making a desperate last-ditch bid to save a traditional old people’s complex in Market Harborough.

Activists are stepping up their battle to reprieve 19 bungalows from being demolished at Naseby Square, off Stuart Road.

They are acting as Harborough council is set to sell off its part of the site to the Platform Housing Group – which owns the rest of the land.

Platform wants to totally re-work the site by building 38 new homes there in a controversial scheme which has sparked fury.

But outraged Dave Tomlin, 77, who helps to run Naseby Square Tenants’ Support Group, told the Harborough Mail: “We are determined to stop this.

“The old people here have been treated appallingly and it’s totally unacceptable in a civilised society.

“We want them to think again and do the right thing by scrapping this much-hated project altogether.”

He accused the council and the housing company of ploughing ahead with the highly-contentious blueprint “come hell or high water”.

“The writing has been on the wall here for years.

“A huge outcry erupted when elderly people in 19 bungalows on Naseby Square suddenly got a letter from Waterloo housing in May 2018 telling them their homes were to be knocked down,” said Dave, who lives in nearby Newcombe Street.

“Their lives were torn apart overnight.

“There are about 60 homes here altogther on Naseby Square.

“The tenants have formed and forged a fantastic community spirit over many years dating back to the 1950s.

“That community has now been ripped to shreds.

“It’s been heartbreaking to see people moved out of the homes earmarked for the axe.

“A man of 80 was transferred out into another bungalow here last December.

“He’s had problems with his health, it wasn’t properly set up for him and it was a real shame to see him go.

“The last tenant to be eased out was a 97-year-old lady in January this year,” said Dave.

“She’s gone elsewhere but was very happy where she was and didn’t want to go.

“We are also set to lose the very popular community hall and the warden’s office.

“This whole sorry saga has been nothing less than a scandal.”

He’s now calling for the council and Platform to go back to the drawing board.

“We want them to have a complete rethink.

“Instead of reducing them to rubble they should refurbish and overhaul homes marked for destruction and bring them back up to scratch,” said Dave.

“We have a rapidly-ageing population.

“There are not enough properties for elderly people in Market Harborough as it is – without wiping out the few that we have left.

“We have fought to halt this from the start – and we are not going to stop now.

“A lot of people in Market Harborough are very angry about this and it’s brilliant to have their support behind us.”

Cllr Julie Simpson, the Liberal Democrat local ward councillor, told a full meeting of Harborough council that she was very “uncomfortable about the process that has caused such worry and concern to many of the Naseby Square residents”.

She was backed by Cllr Phil Knowles, who leads the Liberal Democrat group on the council.

Phil told the Mail: “There needs to be a complete review of the whole way that this proposed development has been handled.

“It should be carried out by the council’s Scrutiny committee.

“And the residents and local councillors should be very much involved in this discussion.

“Democracy should be done and should be seen to be done.”

He added: “I have a lot of sympathy and empathy for the people who have had to endure this turmoil at Naseby Square.

“There are some things that will have been outside the council’s control but other things that have not been.

“The council has to look at all aspects of this project from top to bottom.

“Let’s see what lessons might be learned - the people in Naseby Square would expect nothing less.”

Marion Duffy, Platform’s Chief Operating Officer told the Mail: "We are continuing to undertake discussions with Harborough District Council regarding the future development of Naseby Square.

“We are committed to keeping up our ongoing programme of consultation with customers and as soon as any decisions are made we will update all those involved."

Harborough council’s Cabinet is to explore selling its part of the land to Platform.

The Cabinet is the authority’s powerful decision-making body and is chaired by its leader, Cllr Phil King.

“Councillors agreed a report would come back to cabinet for a final decision later this year.

“The council said it is refocusing its priorities in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said the council.

The housing project is a “redevelopment for 38 new homes, at a former garage site owned by Harborough District Council along with land that is currently owned by Platform Housing Group”.

“A planning application will be considered by Harborough District Council later this year to reflect the cabinet’s decision,” said the council.

A revised scheme to redevelop Naseby Square includes:

- Seven more bungalows being proposed - compared to the planning application submitted on July 2, 2019, which only had one.

- A bigger community room than originally designed for Naseby Square residents and the provision of a disabled toilet and level access to a community garden.

- Pedestrian connections with Newcombe Street, Naseby Close and Stuart Road.

- Environmental enhancements to the proposals comprising triple glazing for all of the new homes, external clothes drying areas for each unit, a communal bicycle storage area and communal electric car charging points.