Residents told homes are to be demolished
HUNDREDS of Lower Falinge residents have this week been formally told their home is going to be knocked down in the next seven years.
It’s the latest stage in multi-million pound transformation of the estate and the neighbouring Seven Sisters tower blocks.
A total of 240 households have been informed their homes are going to be knocked down after demolition notices were posted out on Monday.
The affected homes are in the Ibsley, Johnston, Kirkstall, Lindisfarne, Melrose, Newstead, Ollerton, Quinton, Romsey, Ullesthorpe, Vaynor, Waverley, Exbury, Yarwell, Zedburgh and Abbeydale blocks.
The plans, which were unveiled last June and could take 20 years to complete, will see 16 of the 26 two-storey blocks on Lower Falinge knocked down with up to 560 new houses built in their place.
Four of the Seven Sisters tower blocks – Mitchell Hey, Dunkirk Rise, Tentercroft and Town Mill Brow – demolished to make way for up to 120 new homes.
The three remaining blocks – Mardyke, Holland Rise and Underwood – would be modernised under the proposals drawn up by renowned architects Levitt Bernstein.
In a statement housing association Rochdale Boroughwide Housing said: “In summer 2017, RBH set out proposals for the College Bank and Lower Falinge neighbourhoods which identified some homes which would be affected by demolition.
“We promised the community that any RBH tenant who needed to move would have at least a year’s notice of this.
“In early April 2018, we explained that one of the next steps in taking forward these proposals would be to issue a legal notice called an Initial Demolition Notice to homes expected to be affected by demolition in the next seven years.
“As we explained in April, this does not mean that demolition is about to start.
“It lets residents know, formally, that their home could be demolished within the next seven years as part of the proposals.
“On Thursday, April 5, we knocked on the doors of all affected residents to let them know about this face-to-face, provide a copy of our information sheet about the notices and what they mean, answer questions and provide support before any formal legal notice is issued.
“We can now confirm that today (Monday) we have issued Initial Demolition Notices to residents in 16 blocks in Lower Falinge.
“Along with the formal notice, we have included an explanatory covering letter, and an information sheet with further explanation, together with details of how to get in touch with RBH for support or advice.
“We will continue to support residents affected by the proposals, including providing support for rehousing, and we continue to work on the detail of the proposals.
“We will be submitting a planning application for the next phase of development at Lower Falinge in the near future.”