Villages around Heathrow ‘dying due to home buying scheme’
06.05.11
Villages around Heathrow Airport are ‘dying’ because of a home buying scheme run by BAA, an MP said yesterday. BAA stepped in to buy ‘unsellable’ houses when plans for a third runway were backed by the previous Government. Labour's John McDonnell said despite the plans being scrapped, at least for the duration of the current parliament, many of these homes are standing empty leading to the ‘death of village life’.
When the Labour Government backed the expansion for Heathrow - the building of a third runway and sixth terminal - BAA agreed to buy houses residents could not sell, if they wanted to move. So far it has bought 266 homes with another 8 sales going through. However, the plans were blocked by the current coalition Government - at least for their current term in parliament - when it came to power last year.
Mr McDonnell, who represents Hayes and Harlington, said many homeowners were still unable to sell up because of ongoing fears over a third runway. He said people living in the villages of Sipson, Harmondsworth, Harlington, Cranford and Longford, among others, ‘live under continuing fear of a third runway (plan) coming back’.
‘BAA is now the largest homeowner in Sipson village and a significant homeowner in other Heathrow villages. Many homes have just been left empty. We are told they are being refurbished with a view to being let, but the process is extremely slow.’ He urged BAA to start selling or letting the properties to families, and said he feared the properties were being retained because BAA was convinced it could change Government policy.
In a statement BAA said: ‘Just as it is in the interests of people living and working in Sipson and surrounding villages that they are part of a vibrant community, so too is this in our interests as a major local landlord. We are prioritising lets to families and airport workers and we have a dedicated team committed to managing our properties in a way which sustains and supports local community life.’
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