Monifieth Raac repair consultation to begin within days
Monifieth residents living with Raac are to be contacted within days in the first step towards ridding their homes of the dangerous material.
It comes after councillors unanimously agreed a plan to remove reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) from 25 council houses in Milton Street.
New flat roofs will be installed.
The move was welcomed as a positive step for residents who discovered in 2023 their homes were affected.
The Milton Street houses, built in the 1960s, were the only ones found to contain Raac after a survey of the council's 7,700 rented homes.
However, housing chiefs have been unable to give council tenants a timeline for when they can expect their Raac nightmare to end.
And questions remain around how the council repair scheme will work alongside nearly 50 privately-owned homes in the street.
Council infrastructure director Graeme Dailly promised councillors the consultation will be carried out as quickly as possible.
'We want to do a comprehensive engagement, rather than meet a specific deadline,' he said.
'But what I can do is give an assurance it is very much people-focused; we realise the expectations here.'
He added: 'We are looking to put a further letter out to the affected homes next week.'
It will go to both council tenants and private owners.
'As we move forward, timescales might become clearer,' added Mr Dailly.
'We aim to keep local members, our housing committee and affected homeowners updated.'
Monifieth and Sidlaw councillor Lloyd Melville said: 'Complete removal of the Raac is not only necessary for the future stability of the buildings, but for the peace of mind of all of the residents in the area.
'(They have) faced such a traumatic and anxious period since the discovery of Raac some time ago.
'We've heard there is a real willingness to work with all of the residents.
'That will be done on an individual basis and that is really welcome because there is no one-size-fits-all approach.'
He added: 'No two houses have the exact same circumstances.
'I think every one of us wants to see an approach that preserves the community of Milton Street.
'Let me pay tribute to those residents and their remarkable fortitude. People who have had to live with this terrible worry for a very long time.'
The potential cost of the council house roof replacements was considered in private for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
However, the options report recommending the flat roof solution was brought into the public domain after a residents' backlash.
The Courier's Trapped by Raac campaign aims to help those affected by the crisis and have the issue debated by government.
We're asking readers to sign this petition to give them a voice and get the issue to parliament.
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