24/01/2013

Thinktank Calls For Tower Blocks To Be Demolished

High rise tower blocks should be demolished, an influential Conservative thinktank has recommended.

Policy Exchange have produced a report saying the high rises should be replaced with streets of terrace houses and low-rise flats that people actually want to live in.

Quoting wide-ranging research showing literally nobody in one poll wanted to live in high rise social housing.

The research also shows links problems including crime and poor health in communities, stress and neurosis among tenants and hyperactivity and juvenile delinquency in their children.

The report, called Create Streets, states that: "to address those social problems and create much needed jobs and new homes, the blocks – largely built in the 50s, 60s and 70s – should be torn down and replaced with "real streets"."

The report also says that despite research showing tower blocks are unpopular with most if not all tenants, building them continues: from 2003-2007 there was a seven-fold increase in high-rise building, even though it is more expensive to build and maintain, says the report.

While not a government commissioned report it is thought it could have influence due to Policy Exchange’s close ties to planning minister Nick Boles.

(H/GK)

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