Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I will clarify. The Minister was not here and I know he was attending other business at Cabinet. What he said is not correct. We have been constantly told for the past number of years there were negotiations with the people. The owners of the site changed and next door, part of the bigger site, was put up for sale. The council failed to secure it and it was outbid on it. That is business. The reality is that this is a group of maisonettes similar to those which exist in other parts of the county where people live. There were people who wished to stay. We cannot have a position where there are 14 units empty when these only need to be renovated. There is the point about the development next door. We have a housing crisis and there is a council with over 5,000 people on a housing list but units are blocked. People are walking by them every day and they must be re-opened.