A call for West Lothian Council to buy blind veterans housing at Linburn has been rejected.
Blinded service veterans who occupy “homes for life” were told this summer that the entire Linburn estate was in line to be sold for housebuilding.
Residents feared they would be made homeless within a year and have to join West Lothian’s 12,000 strong waiting list.
The SNP group had also urged the council to work with Sight Scotland on development plans for the historic estate at Wilkieston.
The ruling minority Labour led administration argued that to express support for or against the development of the Sight Scotland sites would contravene planning laws.
Raising her motion at a meeting of the full council group leader Janet Campbell urged the council to follow Edinburgh’s lead. The city council bought Ministry of Defence owned housing Dreghorn Barracks in the capital – including homes with sitting tenants.
Councillor Campbell said: “West Lothian Council had no involvement in any decision making, taken by a charitable organisation. However, the Linburn tenants are West Lothian residents who have declared this is where they have put down roots, where their families are and where they want to live.
“Under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, a person should be treated as homeless, even if they have accommodation, if it would not be reasonable for them to continue to stay in it. West Lothian Council therefore have a legal duty to help people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.”
The motion urged the council to share “best practice” with the charity in terms of developing plans to rehouse the tenants on the site through a new developer similar to what happened with homeowners in Deans South Livingston. It also asked that the chief executive be invited to speak to the next meeting of the full council.
Responding, the Labour group and council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick said: “I think we were all horrified” by the news that the tenants had been told in the summer they would be evicted next year.
The council leader pointed out that only 13 of the 23 homes are occupied. “It is my own view that we must be very careful here. I take the view that by leaving properties vacant as and when tenants leave that there is an intention by the owner to develop the site.
“We are dealing with a charity landlord, a private landlord. We do have duties under the housing act, and we recognise that. The housing options team are delivering a housing options surgery at the Linburn Estate and also the Advice shop and other agencies are there to support tenants as regards legal rights and any benefit entitlement they have.”
Councillor Fitzpatrick said that the charity had indicated ideas for development at Linburn in the preparation of the new Local Development Plan.
Councillor Fitzpatrick added: “We are dealing with private landlord. it would not be appropriate to ask the chief executive or any private landlords to come to this council and explain their vision and plans. In fact, we could be in a position of taking up a predetermined view on planning application which may come up at a later stage.”
Tory group leader Councillor Damian Doran-Timson reiterated his belief that Sight Scotland should provide a “home for a home” for the existing tenants on the redeveloped estate at Linburn.
The SNP motion was defeated by 17 votes to 15.
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter
