NEXT week the City Council's executive committee will discuss plans for 25 empty houses in Newton Heath to be renovated and converted for armed forces veterans as part of a BBC DIY SOS big build programme.
In a guaranteed tear jerker, eight properties will be converted during filming in September to provide new homes for both disabled and non physically disabled veterans with another property becoming a drop in centre run by the charity Walking with the Wounded to provide advice, guidance, support and therapy.
"The BBC DIY SOS team want to deliver the biggest Big Build project to date.
It is part of a wider, inspirational initative to create a veteran's community around Canada Street and New Street with long-term empty terraces being gifted to the veterans charity Haig Housing.
The charity will carry out the renovation of the remaining properties working alongside Manchester College School of Construction to develop a training programme and provide job opportunities for veterans to work on the properties themselves as they learn new skills.
The report to the Executive states: "Walking With The Wounded was established in 2010. Its mission is to fund the retraining and re-education of injured veterans via inspirational fundraising projects. It enables the rebuilding of lives and return to the work place and in so doing provides long-term security for veterans and their families.
"Haig Housing is a long established veteran housing charity with properties nationwide, including a small number in Wythenshawe. Both charities are very aware of the difficulties veterans face in finding suitable accommodation, relevant support and opportunities for training which leads to employment and both wish to address this.
"The BBC DIY SOS team has a unique ability to galvanise communities and businesses to deliver build projects for people in need, and want to deliver the biggest DIY SOS Big Build project to date. All parties see this project as the start of a process of building a new veteran community within the local community, where ex-service personnel wishing to live in Manchester can be assimilated back into everyday life and have access to training opportunities and support."
Canada StreetMore than 30 housing applications from veterans wanting to be in Manchester are currently being assessed.
As well as very specific life enhancing changes for the veterans the initiative will also benefit existing residents with all 62 properties on the two streets being given a facelift and the whole area landscaped and planted.
While the BBC can beg, borrow and emotionally inspire offers of skills and materials for its part (the local Army Reserve 75th Engineer Regiment have already committed a workforce and equipment), the cost for Haig is going to be between £35,000 and £45,000 per property and the City Council is intending to underwrite approximately half the £800,000 total needed from its empty homes fund.
The report concludes: "The option presents a solution which will not only address a number of long term empty properties through their refurbishment, but also improve the environment via streetscaping and the face-lifting of all properties.
"However, this scheme provides benefits above and beyond physical improvements; it will create a unique veteran community within this local community, re- engaging veterans with civilian and working life so that they are supported to continue to make an important contribution to society."
The programme will be filmed over twelve days in September and is likely to be screened as part of this year's Remembrance Day activities.
It's the first time that DIY SOS has worked with a local authority and shows the inventiveness officers are using to solve the problem of empty properties and bring them back in to use. Confidential heard of several more this week and will be reporting back.
Here's the full committee report.
