Fresh demolition plans have been revealed for a 1960s housing estate in Rochdale, just 11 months after it was saved from the bulldozer following a successful legal challenge by campaigners.
Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) wants to knock down seven blocks of flats containing 126 homes on Lower Falinge and replace them with 270 new homes. The vision includes a mix of flats and houses on land between St Mary’s Gate and Sheriff Street.
Last residents 'distraught'
To make way for the development, the maisonette blocks known as Ollerton, Newstead, Romsey, Quinton, Ullesthorpe and Vaynor all have to go. Only the Zedburgh block, also earmarked for demolition, is lived in.
Andy Roche has been in Lower Falinge since 1988. Both he and his partner are the last holdouts in the Zedburgh block. They are 'distraught' by the latest news.
They knew this was coming though. When RBH was stopped from demolishing the blocks last year, they were told they needed to showcase what they would actually do with the land – rather than just leave it grassed over. Although a new vision has now been revealed, it doesn’t make it any easier for Andy.
Andy said: “Obviously it’s extremely distressing for me because it involves being forced out of my home. I am not happy about RBH’s proposals, but I’m not sure how to put it into words.
“I’m still processing it. I don't believe they have listened to the residents of the estate at all.
“My partner is also distraught. We are both autistic and this eviction is making us both really ill.”
Estate's decline
So many tenants have upped sticks and moved on, but for Andy this estate has everything he wants. He has been offered multiple different housing options by RBH, but none of them have lived up to what he currently has, he claims.
Last year Andy provided a tour of the estate. Walking through the maze of flats, it looked desolate. The Newstead block overlooks the communal grassland, every window boarded up with plywood. This indicated the vandalism the area suffers.
Andy points out how families can watch their children play on the grass outside from through their living room windows. But there are no children here anymore, and no families.
RBH says the blocks are no longer fit for purpose and have lived way beyond their life span. The social housing landlord says their new plans have been informed by the consultation of local residents.
Past and future of Lower Falinge
The estate is a bizarre clash of old and new though. Opposite the Ollerton block, next door to Andy’s Zeburgh block – there is a brand new play park surrounded by plush new housing. This is part of the previous phases of the overarching redevelopment already carried out by RBH. They have already delivered 100 new homes in Lower Falinge after previous demolition work.
The previous phases began with demolition work in 2012, a year after Lower Falinge was named the most deprived area in England for the fifth year running. The estate took another hammering in 2016 when former Prime Minister David Cameron called it a sink estate – meaning a place that suffers from severe social and economic deprivation.
That upset Andy. Many in his shoes would think a visit from the Prime Minister would bring hope for the future. What saddens him more is seeing the blocks that used to be full of life look derelict and silent.
Seeing the blocks such as Pershore and Stavordale get refurbished to avoid damp and mould problems has irked campaigners. They feel that if it could be done there, why not the doomed blocks.
New plans and next steps
Given all but one of the new blocks are empty, the campaign to stop demolition is lacking numbers. Andy previously admitted it’s difficult to muster up an opposition campaign when no one lives in the flats primed for demolition. Their main concern during the last demolition proposal was that there was no housing or regeneration plan after the blocks got levelled. But now RBH has provided one.
In addition to the 270 new 'high quality' homes, RBH promises to deliver improved public spaces and better connections to Rochdale town centre through features such as cycle lanes and footpaths. Although the majority of the new housing would go on the land due to be bulldozed, there are plots on the other side of the giant estate also due to take on some of the new homes. RBH’s plan would see the land they bought up recently, just next to St Mary’s Gate, built on.
Hannah Fleming, RBH Director of Regeneration and Asset Improvement, said: “We’re committed to creating a community in Lower Falinge with safe, warm, affordable homes that meet the needs of current residents and future generations.
“We are very grateful to all the customers and stakeholders who shared their views in our recent consultation. We are reviewing this feedback before we submit our planning application in the early autumn.”
The social housing provider intends to submit an outline application to Rochdale council soon. If this gets granted, they would need to get approval for a further, more detailed, application before any demolition or building work could start.
