A household of 13 concern they are going to quickly be made homeless after being handed an eviction discover by their native council.
Clifford Westfall and Clair Patterson reside in an eight-bedroom home in Keighley, close to Bradford with their 9 kids.
Clifford’s brother and Clair’s brother additionally reside with them as they want additional care help.
However the household are afraid they are going to quickly be torn aside after being caught in a planning dispute which has resulted in Bradford Council telling them they need to go away the property by January 26.
Bradford Council has mentioned it's attempting to increase the deadline for the household to depart the property, and ‘will proceed to help’ the household, however the specter of eviction nonetheless looms giant.
The couple pay £1,000 a month for the privately-rented property and are determined to stay within the space.
Their seven youngest kids all go to highschool in Keighley and the household enterprise, a toy store within the city centre, is only a mile away.
They concern that in the event that they’re pressured to maneuver they are going to be unable to maintain the youngsters of their present college, and will probably be cut up up.
Clifford, 37, mentioned: ‘All we need to do is be collectively as a household.’
The household’s woes began when an extension to the property, constructed by the owner, breached planning permission.
After three separate retrospective planning purposes and an attraction to the federal government’s planning inspector failed, the council obtained a obligatory buy order on the property.
Clifford and Clair have been initially advised to maneuver out by January 26.
The household say once they have been advised to depart, they requested the council for assist after struggling to seek out wherever appropriate.
‘There's nothing in the marketplace for a household of our measurement,’ mentioned Clifford.
‘We used to reside in a three-bedroom home a couple of years in the past. We have been so comfortable, despite the fact that it was so small, nevertheless it simply wasn’t sufficiently big.
‘The council say they will’t put us in a 4 or five-bedroom home, as a result of it will be overcrowded, however we should be collectively.’
The couple say they've even requested whether or not they may have two houses
knocked by into one.
‘We’re not attempting to be money-grabbers,’ mentioned Clifford.
‘We’re utterly prepared to pay our method. We’re not eager to take something from the system free of charge. We work for all the things we’ve obtained.
‘We don’t need a massive home and for it to be low-cost. We pays. We simply need to be collectively.’
The couple claims they've been advised their household could possibly be moved right into a hostel.
‘Once they mentioned that, I believed: “Is that for actual?”‘ mentioned Clifford.
‘What’s one foot or two ft in comparison with making a household homeless?
‘If we needed to [leave Keighley] we’d do it. However a hostel? It simply can’t occur. It wouldn’t work.’
The couple have one baby collectively, however have custody for his or her eight kids from earlier relationships who vary in age from two to 19-years-old.
Native councillor Mohsin Hussain has tried to push the council to supply extra assist for the household.
He advised YorkshireLive : ‘It is vitally tough to seek out one other property of this measurement, however I've mentioned to the council that we have to discover one other property for Clifford and his household to maneuver into – or to increase the deadline.
‘The council just isn't within the fallacious on this, however there must help from the council and from the housing associations for Clifford and his household.’
A spokesperson for Bradford Council mentioned Clifford and his household had been assessed by the Native Authority’s Housing Choices Service.
They mentioned: ‘The Housing Choices Officer is presently exploring appropriate rehousing choices within the personal and social housing sectors.
‘This additionally contains offering two lodging models adjoining or in shut proximity to one another.’
The council mentioned if Clifford and his household turned homeless ‘earlier than the eviction deadline’ it will have ‘a statutory obligation to supply non permanent lodging’ to them.
It mentioned if wanted, the non permanent lodging supply ‘could be ‘in the identical location’.
‘The Native Authority will proceed to help Mr Westfall and his household
throughout this rehousing course of,’ the spokesperson mentioned.
‘The council is presently within the strategy of getting ready authorized documentation to increase the present deadline of January 26, 2022 to permit further time to supply appropriate housing choices for Mr Westfall and his household.
‘He will probably be in receipt of this documentation throughout the subsequent seven days.’
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