The SouthGlos Post

Young people have been airing their views on life in South Gloucestershire and the services provided by Merlin Housing Society.

Twenty-five young people aged 16 to 25 attended a recent event specifically designed to allow them to have their say. Organised by Merlin and 1625 Independent People the event followed a similar one the housing society ran with its black and minority ethnic residents earlier in the year.

Community Investment Manager Verona Vidal said she was delighted with the response to the event. “It was excellent and everyone had a lot to say,” she said.

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Source: Merlin Housing Society

The ground has been broken on the site of a new housing development in Kingswood.

Merlin Housing Society’s chairman Les Good, who is a Merlin resident, got the work underway last week.

Over the coming weeks and months two new buildings will be built on the site, providing ten new flats and a new Kingswood Housing Office.

“This development will provide much needed homes in South Gloucestershire and I am delighted that work is underway,” Les said. “It’s exciting to think that in the new year this site will be the home for ten families plus our new area housing office.”

The High Street development, which is due to be completed in January, is just the start for Merlin’s building plans. Over the next four years, it aims to build 100 new homes in South Gloucestershire.

Merlin Housing Society is the largest provider of social housing in South Gloucestershire, managing a stock of around 8,000 homes for single people, families and the elderly.

Source: Merlin Housing Society

Merlin Housing Society is asking young people to give their views on the services it provides.

The society houses more than 16,000 people in its 8,000 properties in South Gloucestershire, a third of who are aged under 25. Now Merlin is inviting people aged 16 – 24 to a meeting at Patchway Community Centre on Monday 28th June from 12 noon – 2.30pm to hear what they think about the society’s services and the area where they live.

Community Investment Manager Verona Vidal, who has organised the event for Merlin, said: “We want the services we provide to be representative of everyone, no matter what their age. But at the moment we don’t have many young residents who get involved with us.

“We want to know what young people think about living in our neighbourhoods and what services they’d like us to provide to help improve their lives. We’ll use their views to develop our services in the future. And you don’t have to be one of our residents to come along – we want to hear the views of everyone.”

The event follows similar successful meetings Merlin has held this year with black and minority ethnic residents. Everyone who takes part in the event will receive a £20 shopping voucher. Merlin can provide free transport and childcare for anyone who wants to attend.

Anyone interested in attending the meeting should contact Verona Vidal on 01454 821500 or email verona.vidal@merlinhs.co.uk.

Source: Merlin Housing Society

Prospective Conservative MP for Kingswood, Chris Skidmore, with local councillors John Calway and Christine Price have launched a petition to stop inappropriate development on Green Belt Land in Longwell Green.

Developers are looking to build hundreds of houses on Green Belt land behind Pearsall Road and Williams Close. This is thanks to the Government’s Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) which looks to impose an extra 33,000 houses on South Gloucestershire, allowing developers to build on Green Belt land. Local Labour MPs support the RSS.

Chris Skidmore, Prospective Conservative MP for the area, said, “I will be opposing this application with local councillors all the way. This is why we have set up the petition now, and hope many local people will sign. This application has only been allowed to take place due to the Labour Government’s disastrous plans to impose 33,000 houses in South Gloucestershire and build on our Green Belt. Conservatives will abolish these plans and preserve and protect our local Green Belt for future generations and for the use of the community. These fields must be saved.”

John Calway, local councillor for the area and leader of South Gloucestershire council said, “I am supporting Chris’ campaign to save these much loved local fields, which are Green Belt land and must remain green belt. Already Chris has done so much to oppose developments in Mangotsfield and Oldland Common, and I urge all local people to support the campaign and oppose this application.”

Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

A turf cutting ceremony is being held on Friday 12 March (11am until 11.30am) to mark the start of work on the latest South Gloucestershire Council extra care housing scheme.

Fiveways, as it is currently known, is located on New Cheltenham Road in Kingswood and will provide 40 one and two bedroom flats to rent.

There will be a range of communal facilities for residents as well as 24-hour onsite care and support.

Also, a ‘Wellbeing Centre’ is being built adjacent to the extra care housing development that will provide services for older people and people with learning difficulties. And there will be an onsite restaurant to provide meals for service users at the centre and residents living in the extra care accommodation.

The Fiveways scheme, which is being built in partnership with Housing 21, is due to be completed in Autumn 2011 by contractor Leadbitter.

Extra care housing allows people to live as independently as possible, in an affordable home of their own. Residents have their own front door, can live with their partner or friends, and have enough room to allow family and friends to stay too – while knowing support is available if they need it.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council