Forty council houses in Blyth that have stood empty for years are set to be demolished in a bid to "smarten up" the neighbourhood. The houses at Windmill Grove are reportedly low-demand, and the demolition will free up the land for "much needed" new affordable housing.
Details of the Demolition
The scheme will see the flats, maisonettes, and garages destroyed. The council says there was very little demand due to communal access and a lack of outdoor space.
Northumberland county councillor Colin Horncastle, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Housing, said: "We’ve been working extremely hard to provide more affordable housing, of the right type in the right place across the county."
Future Plans for the Site
He added: "This is a significant project. Our ambition for the site is to build new, affordable, energy efficient homes in a variety of styles and sizes that we know local people want and we are currently exploring funding options to try and make this happen."
The council says it is now exploring options to provide new, energy efficient affordable housing on the site in the future. In February, the council said it would aim to build 31 homes at Windmill Grove for social rent.
Funding and Impact
It followed an announcement of £22 million in funding from North East Mayor Kim McGuinness that would help people seeking an affordable home by driving the development of 1,122 new homes across the region. Northumberland secured £5.3 million of the fund, which would be used to deliver on the Windmill Grove site as well as others in Ashington, Cramlington, and Stobswood.
Once all the schemes come to fruition, it will add 114 affordable homes to the county's existing stock. At the time, the council said the flats - described as "unfit for purpose" - would be replaced by "much needed" three and four bedroom family homes.
Between 2017 and the end of 2025, more than 1,700 affordable homes to rent or buy have been built across the county.
