Appeal for help

Wednesday January 19, 2011 by Blog Team

We have received the following request for help from Jacqui and Paul:

Paul and Jacqui Jesson (‘The Happy Campers’) are asking for your urgent help. Quite a few of you may be aware that we are hoping to move into the lovely village of Parwich very shortly and are currently buying Jane Harris’s house: 9 Sycamore Cottages. Unfortunately, when the search was carried out, it came to light that there is a covenant of the Property that anyone wishing to Purchase the house must have lived in the area for a minimum of three years.

Although we do not own property in the village, so therefore can not produce things such as utility bills, we are trying to show the Council that we have been members of the ‘Parwich Community’ since 2004, that we have many friends within Parwich, and that we have tried to support the village throughout this time, spending as much time as possible in the area.

We would therefore like to appeal to as many of you as possible to help us achieve this. Paul and I have drafted a letter, confirming how long we have been coming to the village and supporting Parwich. We are asking for as many of our friends and hopefully neighbours as possible to add their names and addresses and to sign the letter, enabling us to take these to the Council to help us get the Covenant dismissed for the sale to proceed.

Also, if anyone would be kind enough to put pen to paper to support us, we would not be able to thank you enough. The letters would need to be addressed to:

Derbyshire Dales District Council
FAO Helen Bowden
Town Hall
Bank Road
Matlock
Derbyshire
DE4 3NN

Paul will be around the village on Saturday/Sunday to try and get as much support as possible and will collect any letter of support. If you kindly take them to the Sycamore pub or shop it would be greatly appreciated. Or alternately e-mail them to pm.jesson@ntlworld.com.

We need to be able to produce as much evidence to help to get the covenant changed to the council by the end of January.

Thank you for any help you can offer to help fulfil our dreams.

Jacqui and Paul Jesson

Please click here to view Jacqui and Paul’s draft letter, for which they will be collecting signatures. If you are drafting a letter of your own, we recommend that you do so using your own words, rather than re-using the words in this draft.

Posted in Housing, People | 9 Comments

9 Responses

on Friday January 21, 2011 at 12:48 pm | Reply t.pickard

I believe that covenants of this nature in alot of council deeds of sale are no longer enforceable. Due to European laws and English laws of discremination. I have read somewhere recently that councils had taken the veiw that these covenants were no longer valid, it took my eye because i have a property with such a covenant attached to my deeds.
regards terry pickard
- on Monday January 24, 2011 at 8:07 pm | Reply steve k
  
  terry , the covenants are still valid, and enforceable, in fact the eu recently, 2010, re-enforced the ‘rule’ which is also applicable under uk law
on Saturday January 22, 2011 at 3:14 pm | Reply Fiona H

I have been out of the Housing field for some time now but it is my understanding that this type of restriction was placed on properties under s157 of the Housing Act 1985 which allowed councils in certain areas (National Parks being one) to restrict the future sale of a house purchased under the Right to Buy section of the ’85 Act to local people. The purpose behind this was to attempt to ensure that these properties would be continue to be available to local people, it being recognised that homes in National Parks are likely to attract people from outside the locality and presumably lead to higher prices, pricing local people out of the area. Placing a local condition on such a home, restricts the number of people eligible and prevents the price escalating.
In addition, a huge number of council homes were “lost” as a result of RTB. This had a knock-on effect on those needing homes within the social housing sector. This is particularly acute in desirable areas where many council owned properties have been bought, resulting in few affordable homes to rent for local people.
It was precisely this state of affairs which led affordable housing to be identified as a priority for Parwich Village Action Group. This resulted in the successful building of 3 affordable houses for rent, all of which were let to people who complied with the rigorous local connection rules.
I can well understand why Jacqui and Paul want to live in Parwich, but I can also understand why as a viallge Parwich may wish to continue to ensure that some homes are ring-fenced to try and ensure that local people can still afford to live in the village.
on Monday January 24, 2011 at 4:55 pm | Reply RickG

I’ve met Paul and Jacqui at so many village events (Remembrance, St Georges, Wakes, British Legion, Gardens, you name it) over the last 7 or so years, that I was surprised to know that they weren’t permanent residents. I welcome them and have written in support.
on Monday January 24, 2011 at 9:05 pm | Reply Emma S

Apologies to anyone who tried to contact Paul and Jacqui through the email link in the post. There was a bit of a mix up but it is now working properly. Sorry for the inconvenience and confusion…..
on Tuesday January 25, 2011 at 9:54 pm | Reply amanda B

I’d like to echo Rick’s response; until very recently I also assumed jaqui and paul were residents given the way they wholeheartedly contribute to village life and have done for many years now. They are only interested in making their beloved village their full time home, not in letting any property they purchase. As a result their move to parwich would be an even greater assest to village life than they have contributed aready, by virtue of being able to participate even more fully. I hope all who know jaqui and paul will agree with this sentiment and support their application to the council to have the covernant on their potential purchase over ruled.
on Wednesday January 26, 2011 at 4:29 pm | Reply Fiona H

I was trying to highlight the mixed message the village is potentially giving to the housing authority. It would be difficult for Parwich to argue it has a need for affordable housing for locals if it is supporting the removal of a covenant restricting a sale to a local person.
As a number of people have said that they thought Jacqui and Paul were local, perhaps it would be better if they tried to persuade the local authority that they do have a local connection, rather asking for the covenant to be removed (as that implies that they do not have that connection). Their draft letter details their involvement in the village and does not ask for a removal of the covenant, which seems to me to be the best way forward.
on Monday January 31, 2011 at 7:29 pm | Reply steve k

were exactly are Paul and Jacqui Jesson (‘The Happy Campers’) from ?
on Monday January 31, 2011 at 9:31 pm | Reply Paul J

We live over the Leicestershire Border near Ashby de la Zouch & at Parwich Friday, Saturday & Sunday, Grandparents from Hognaston & Ashbourne & Mother Born in Ashbourne with relations living locally.