TENANTS at a housing association in Erskine face forking out £132 each to cover the cost of a collapsed wall. 

Works have started on demolishing what is left of the brick wall in Park Winding and rebuilding it with reinforced concrete.  

However, Bridgewater Housing Association and Renfrewshire Council are tangled in a legal dispute over who should front the cost for the works. 

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Bridgewater claims the wall supports the steep embankment, public roadway and adjacent footway, which are adopted and maintained by Renfrewshire Council.

However, the local authority says responsibility lies with the housing association.

A spokesman for Renfrewshire Council said: “The collapsed wall at Park Winding in Erskine is contained within land managed by Bridgewater Housing Association and any maintenance work, including its rebuilding, is their responsibility.

“We have had no involvement in the decision to repair the wall as it does not provide support to the structure of the adjacent road or pavement and therefore there is no requirement for council to consider, or contribute to the cost of, its replacement.

“As is standard practice for any proposed building works in Renfrewshire, and following an application from Bridgewater, we issued a building warrant which will allow them to carry out their plans to rebuild the wall.” 

More than 200 concerned residents have now contacted Erskine Community Council because they have been asked by the housing association to help front the bill. 

Gary Stapleton, of Bridgewater Housing Association, said: “The wall was simply not strong enough to support the steep embankment and public roadway and adjacent footway of Park Winding. 

“The remaining standing sections of the wall need to be demolished completely and the entire wall rebuilt in reinforced concrete.   

“One of the reasons that it has taken so long to get to a position where we can instruct works is because of discussions we had with the council who we believed were responsible, at least in part, for its reinstatement.  

“They have told us that they do not believe that they have any responsibility.  

“We do not accept Renfrewshire Council’s position in relation to their refusal to contribute towards the cost of rebuilding the wall. ” 

Responding to concerns from tenants, Mr Stapleton added: “We understand that residents are unhappy at having to pay a share of the costs. 

“The wall is a significant structure in a challenging location, and this is reflected in the tenders we received. 

“However one of the good things about the title deeds is that no one individual is left to pay significant amounts of money for common areas that deteriorate or need replacing or repairing.  

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“The cost of such things is shared amongst a large number of people, meaning that although everyone pays something, a significant burden does not fall on one or a few people. “

Mr Stapleton is set to meet with Erkine Community Council on Thursday.