Glasgow SNP MSP, and long time campaigner for new social housing for the Botany community in Maryhill has welcomed the start of the building work after an 8 year wait. Mr Doris made his first contribution in the parliament as an MSP in May 2007 to raise the plight of former Botany tenants at First Minister's Question Time and is delighted to finally see real progress to provide new houses to the community.

Mr Doris has also put a motion to parliament praising both Maryhill Housing Association and tenants for persevering with the project over the last 8 years. Mr Doris will be attending the official ground breaking ceremony today (Thursday) at the Botany site.

Bob Doris MSP said: "When I was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2007 I took with me a promise to help many people in Glasgow. Some of those people were the former residents of Maryhill's Botany area. Their homes were demolished in 2001 and were promised new homes within 2 years. That never happened but the community and local housing association never gave up and I have supported them along the way, including raising the matter in the Scottish Parliament.

"I am privileged to attend the ground breaking ceremony. Today is a wonderful achievement for all involved in delivering these new homes, if just a little bitter sweet that it has taken so long. However lets hope that this also signals a new beginning for the community."

Notes:

1. Motion to Scottish Parliament

S3M-03591 Bob Doris (Glasgow) (Scottish National Party): Rebuilding the Botany— That the Parliament notes that, eight years ago, tenants in the Botany area in Maryhill were decanted from their homes with the promise of returning to new-build homes within a few years; recognises the frustration of tenants and the local housing association at the delays in delivering these homes; therefore congratulates in particular Willy Briody and Donna Birrell, of Maryhill Housing Association, and Patricia Wilson, the tenant chair of the Botany tenants’ consultation group, in overcoming the many financial and logistical problems faced in pursuing delivery of these new homes, and also congratulates them on the ground-breaking ceremony, held on 4 March 2009, marking the start of work to deliver 35 new-build homes to tenants.

2. First Minister's Questions 31st May 2007. This was the first ever set back bench question to Alex salmond as First Minister of Scotland's new Government.

Social Rented Housing
Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the First Minister whether extending the provision of good-quality, local social rented housing will be a priority for the new Scottish Government. (S3F-20)

The First Minister (Alex Salmond): Yes. We look forward to working with members and parties across Parliament to develop proposals for extending provision of Scotland's social housing. That will contribute to our overarching aim of creating a wealthier, healthier and more successful country.

Bob Doris: I inform the First Minister that the guarantees that were given to the former tenants of Maryhill's Butney area back in 2001 by Glasgow City Council and, subsequently, by Glasgow Housing Association, which promised them new local housing within two years of their old homes being demolished, remain unmet. Will the First Minister monitor the situation—significant further demolitions of social rented housing within Maryhill and across north Glasgow are planned—in order to ensure that, as opposed to broken promises, good-quality social housing is delivered? That would respect local communities.

The First Minister: There was indeed a promise, the timescale in which has not been kept. Nonetheless, there remains the promise to replace housing in Glasgow that is demolished by Glasgow City Council and the Glasgow Housing Association. The programme is set to deliver 6,000 houses throughout the city. The city council has reaffirmed that it is committed to directing that programme to areas where there are most demolitions. At the local level, programmes for replacement housing are agreed between Glasgow Housing Association and the other housing associations that are involved. The number of houses to be replaced needs to reflect the likely needs and demand in any given area. However, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will take time to review the progress that is being made on delivering the promises that were made to the tenants of Glasgow.