Proposal for Utilizing Properties in Altrincham and Urmston to Support Refugees

Trafford Council is deliberating a proposal to transform two commercial properties into residential spaces to accommodate refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine. This initiative comes as Trafford, a borough in the United Kingdom, is now home to approximately 10 Afghan households and around 82 Ukrainian households, thanks to resettlement schemes that have been in place since the beginning of the previous year.

 

In response to the influx of refugees, the UK Government introduced the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) toward the end of the last year. This fund was designed to provide housing solutions for those arriving from Afghanistan and Ukraine. Trafford Council was granted roughly £4 million through two rounds of funding and additionally borrowed around £4 million to meet this urgent need.

 

Under the current proposal, two commercial properties, namely units at the Grafton Centre in Altrincham and units on Crofts Bank Road in Urmston, would be converted into residential accommodations. Moreover, the plan involves the acquisition of other properties from the housing market. A forthcoming executive meeting at the town hall on Monday will consider a report recommending the plan's approval.

 

The report states, "The other option is for the council not to provide additional accommodation and to source existing housing for both groups. However, given the limited supply of existing accommodations within the borough, which is insufficient to meet the current demand, let alone the additional demand, this is not a viable option."

 

One complicating factor is that the units at the Grafton Centre and Crofts Bank Road contain Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), a type of concrete that has come under scrutiny due to concerns about its structural integrity, particularly in school buildings this month.

 

A memo obtained by The Messenger suggests that the RAAC in Altrincham, where there is a plan for 10 apartments, is located in areas that are currently "unused," while the RAAC in Urmston, where there is a plan for three apartments, is deemed to be "safe."

 

Meena Minnis, a Lib Dem councillor, expressed concern, saying, "On one hand, the council acknowledges the need to replace the RAAC in some unused units of Grafton Mall. On the other hand, they are considering housing Ukrainians in one of these unused units. We seek assurances regarding any potential risks."

 

Collings Solicitors 

Altrincham 

0161 928 5558