This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/scotland-blog/2012/sep/12/glasgow-housing-south-seeds
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Tackling Glasgow's substandard homes with peas, beetroot and thermal imaging | Tackling Glasgow's substandard homes with peas, beetroot and thermal imaging |
| (21 days later) | |
| A group of environmentalists in Glasgow has launched a campaign to improve some of the city's most dilapidated housing. Not with placards or postcards, but with peas, beetroot and thermal imaging cameras. | A group of environmentalists in Glasgow has launched a campaign to improve some of the city's most dilapidated housing. Not with placards or postcards, but with peas, beetroot and thermal imaging cameras. |
| Volunteers from the charity South Seeds are focusing on tenement blocks on the city's south side – home to some of Glasgow most dilapidated slum housing - in an effort to increase the buildings' energy efficiency and raise living conditions for residents. | Volunteers from the charity South Seeds are focusing on tenement blocks on the city's south side – home to some of Glasgow most dilapidated slum housing - in an effort to increase the buildings' energy efficiency and raise living conditions for residents. |
| Maf Smith, a key figure in South Seed's managing committee and a renewable energy specialist, said the project also focused on working with tenants and residents, not housing officials, by training "tenement champions" to strengthen community bonds and foster a spirit of self-help. He said: | Maf Smith, a key figure in South Seed's managing committee and a renewable energy specialist, said the project also focused on working with tenants and residents, not housing officials, by training "tenement champions" to strengthen community bonds and foster a spirit of self-help. He said: |
| Tenements are classed as 'hard to treat homes', and if improvements can be made in one area of the building, it's often only possible with the agreement of all the residents. | Tenements are classed as 'hard to treat homes', and if improvements can be made in one area of the building, it's often only possible with the agreement of all the residents. |
| That can be a real brake when people are trying to take action, so our Tenement Champions programme is trying to find people who can coordinate their neighbours and improve their buildings. | That can be a real brake when people are trying to take action, so our Tenement Champions programme is trying to find people who can coordinate their neighbours and improve their buildings. |
| Established in 2011, South Seeds has already worked to turn derelict sites in Glasgow into community gardens. The group is now expanding after receiving a £278,000 grant from the Scottish government's Climate Challenge Fund, which provides money for community environmental projects. | Established in 2011, South Seeds has already worked to turn derelict sites in Glasgow into community gardens. The group is now expanding after receiving a £278,000 grant from the Scottish government's Climate Challenge Fund, which provides money for community environmental projects. |
| It will carry out thermal imaging of tenement blocks to identify the buildings most in need of insulation. It will offer advice on grants and incentives for repairs and property improvements, and produce online videos explaining how residents can increase the energy efficiency of their homes. | It will carry out thermal imaging of tenement blocks to identify the buildings most in need of insulation. It will offer advice on grants and incentives for repairs and property improvements, and produce online videos explaining how residents can increase the energy efficiency of their homes. |
| Caroline Gausden, who lives with her daughter in a tenement flat in the south side district of Crosshill, said that South Seeds' efforts had had a noticeable effect on her and her neighbours' living conditions: | Caroline Gausden, who lives with her daughter in a tenement flat in the south side district of Crosshill, said that South Seeds' efforts had had a noticeable effect on her and her neighbours' living conditions: |
| We asked for their help to build a garden in our back court, which was very overgrown and had been used to dump rubbish. | We asked for their help to build a garden in our back court, which was very overgrown and had been used to dump rubbish. |
| They worked with us to tidy it all up, cut the grass and put in vegetable beds. It used to be just an unused space, but this summer the neighbours have been out sunbathing and it's a safe place for my daughter to play. | They worked with us to tidy it all up, cut the grass and put in vegetable beds. It used to be just an unused space, but this summer the neighbours have been out sunbathing and it's a safe place for my daughter to play. |
| We've grown peas, beetroot, potatoes, courgettes – everyone's been really keen to get involved. | We've grown peas, beetroot, potatoes, courgettes – everyone's been really keen to get involved. |
Gausden said before the project she had only really known neighbours on her own landing. Now she knows all the residents involved in the garden: | Gausden said before the project she had only really known neighbours on her own landing. Now she knows all the residents involved in the garden: |
| We started talking about the state of the building. We had a really rubbish factor [property manager] who always said they were getting quotes for repairs, but the work was never done, so we got together and booted them out. | We started talking about the state of the building. We had a really rubbish factor [property manager] who always said they were getting quotes for repairs, but the work was never done, so we got together and booted them out. |
| Since then we've installed foam insulation in the loft and had treatment for damp, which has been a problem for the three years I've been here. We also helped an older lady with major repairs to her flat which she wasn't able to do on her own. | Since then we've installed foam insulation in the loft and had treatment for damp, which has been a problem for the three years I've been here. We also helped an older lady with major repairs to her flat which she wasn't able to do on her own. |
| Built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Glasgow's tenements became notorious for their overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, with large extended families crammed into one or two small rooms. Their back courts commonly featured communal outdoor toilets and rubbish heaps known as middens – dumps for food scraps, discarded household and human waste. | Built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Glasgow's tenements became notorious for their overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, with large extended families crammed into one or two small rooms. Their back courts commonly featured communal outdoor toilets and rubbish heaps known as middens – dumps for food scraps, discarded household and human waste. |
| The buildings have since been renovated. In some areas of the city tenement flats are sought-after for their thick walls, high ceilings and period features. But other buildings are in a poor state of repair; parts of the city may be seeing accelerating improvements in the housing stock but in some, historic problems endure. | The buildings have since been renovated. In some areas of the city tenement flats are sought-after for their thick walls, high ceilings and period features. But other buildings are in a poor state of repair; parts of the city may be seeing accelerating improvements in the housing stock but in some, historic problems endure. |
| Govanhill, on the city's south side, has had a particular problem with tenements in slum conditions. Many flats bought by private landlords in the buy-to-let boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s have fallen into disrepair and now serve as cheap, poor-quality housing for recent immigrants. | Govanhill, on the city's south side, has had a particular problem with tenements in slum conditions. Many flats bought by private landlords in the buy-to-let boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s have fallen into disrepair and now serve as cheap, poor-quality housing for recent immigrants. |
| A spokesman for Glasgow City Council, said it had invested £10m over the past three years in such properties but it had been forced, because of the scale of the task, to prioritise the buildings in the greatest need of repair: | A spokesman for Glasgow City Council, said it had invested £10m over the past three years in such properties but it had been forced, because of the scale of the task, to prioritise the buildings in the greatest need of repair: |
| We've had to do roof work and major structural repairs, deal with damp and rot and secure the foundations of tenements that were built over old mine-workings. | We've had to do roof work and major structural repairs, deal with damp and rot and secure the foundations of tenements that were built over old mine-workings. |
| Unfortunately a lot of these flats have been bought by people who didn't understand the need for ongoing investment in a property. We've had people with significant property portfolios who have been struck off the landlords' register. | Unfortunately a lot of these flats have been bought by people who didn't understand the need for ongoing investment in a property. We've had people with significant property portfolios who have been struck off the landlords' register. |
| There can also be difficulties where residents are in agreement that work needs to be done, but one or two owners are unable or unwilling to contribute their share of the costs. | There can also be difficulties where residents are in agreement that work needs to be done, but one or two owners are unable or unwilling to contribute their share of the costs. |
| Smith believes South Seeds' approach helps tenements residents take back some control of their lives and homes. They can give people on each stair confidence and support, even with just a very modest £278,000 to share around. | Smith believes South Seeds' approach helps tenements residents take back some control of their lives and homes. They can give people on each stair confidence and support, even with just a very modest £278,000 to share around. |
| The tenement champions can build up trust between neighbours. Once that's done, there's a lot that people can do for themselves. | The tenement champions can build up trust between neighbours. Once that's done, there's a lot that people can do for themselves. |
* This article has been amended to remove the name of the Glasgow city council spokesman. It is usual protocol not to refer to council spokespeople by name. | * This article has been amended to remove the name of the Glasgow city council spokesman. It is usual protocol not to refer to council spokespeople by name. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |