Council may buy fire homes site

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Land where five houses were destroyed by fire may be bought by a council to allow the area to be redeveloped.

The homes in Marlborough Road, Newport were gutted by the blaze which broke out at a joinery firm in August 2007.

A large amount of rubble remains on the site which the council wants cleared, issuing home owners with notices.

The council will also have an option to compulsorily purchase the site if an agreement on clearing it of rubble cannot be reached.

Four other properties suffered fire damage in the blaze, one of which has already been partially demolished, and Limebright Joinery, behind the houses, was also destroyed.

Investigations found the fire was accidental.

All of the street's residents were evacuated as the fire spread and 260 other homes lost power after an electricity sub-station was also affected.

In a report which went before the council's cabinet, officers said much of the rubble from the demolished properties remains where it fell, acting as a "reminder to those directly affected by the fire and to those who still reside in the street".

It is having a negative impact on residents' quality of life and has become a fly tipping hotspot in a residential area Newport council statement

The council has also received a number of complaints about fly tipping on the site.

While it is not responsible for clearing the site, the council issued notices in April to property owners to move the rubble from the demolished homes but will clear the site and recoup costs if they fail to do so.

For those with insurance, the cost of around £55,000 can be recovered from their insurers. But for the uninsured, the council will instead own a stake in the land and can recoup the cost when it is sold.

Amparin Belmonte, whose mother's home was wiped out in the fire and who does not have insurance, said she thought the notices were unfair.

"As far as we are concerned we didn't cause this fire, definitely not the rubble or the fly tipping," she said.

'Cost effective'

But the council said it wanted the land to be redeveloped.

"We have a great deal of sympathy for those residents who lost their homes in the Marlborough Road and have offered them every support to resolve the complicated legal issues that have arisen," it said in a statement.

"Everyone agrees that while the site is not owned by the council it is having a negative impact on residents' quality of life and has become a fly tipping hotspot in a residential area.

"By assembling the land for a comprehensive redevelopment, while also having an option to compulsorily purchase the site if an agreement cannot be reached, the prospects of the land being redeveloped are significantly increased.

"We feel this is the most appropriate and cost effective way of ensuring that the site is brought back into use as soon as possible."