Residents of the iconic Seven Sisters tower blocks in Rochdale have spoken of their relief after moving out, citing safety issues, soaring utility bills, and a loss of community spirit. The 1960s behemoths, officially named College Bank, once housed 761 flats but now stand largely empty after landlord Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) issued eviction notices in October 2023.
Residents Share Their Stories
Tony Warner, 60, who lived in the Dunkirk Rise block for 19 years, said his life has dramatically improved since moving to a house on the Kirkholt housing estate. “The community spirit has gone at College Bank now,” he explained. “There isn’t even a shop here now. You’ve got to walk all the way to town for a bottle of milk in the morning and a paper now. When people started leaving you didn’t see anyone. You could die in those flats and no one would know you were there.”
Warner said his utility bills were a major factor in his decision to leave. “It cost me £125 a week for that one little heater. I couldn’t heat the kitchen or the water properly. The place I’ve got now is £67 a month for gas and electricity, not £125 a week like in the flat.”
Safety Concerns and Evictions
RBH said safety issues flagged in a recent building survey prompted the decision to move all tenants out. Structural and electrical problems, issues with the water pumping system, roof damage, and high heating costs were all cited. RBH expects to move all tenants out by April 2027, with 100 people accepting offers so far and 64 already relocated.
John and Sandra Hurn, who lived in the Tentercroft block for 19 years, echoed Warner’s sentiments. Sandra said, “I loved it there but I’m glad we’re here. We loved the security of the flat more than anything. We were on the ninth floor. It was very big as well and we had everything around us. We’ve got our garden here and it’s just as big as the flat. Similar distance to the town centre as well.” She added that the constant stress of broken lifts and lack of parking pushed them to move.
Campaigners Question RBH’s Intentions
Mark Slater, leader of the Save the Seven Sisters campaign group (ST7S), expressed concern that RBH may have already decided to demolish the blocks despite claims to the contrary. “We have spoken to people who are extremely unhappy with where they have been put,” he said. “RBH have left people to suffer. There is no surprise people are happy with moving out to better properties because RBH let them run down.”
RBH denied deliberately allowing the blocks to deteriorate. Hannah Fleming, director of regeneration and development, said the landlord spends an average of half a million pounds each year on maintaining the seven blocks. “We have not allowed College Bank to deteriorate,” she stated. “However, we agree we are now at the point where this ongoing investment is not enough and very substantial works would be needed.”
Mixed Feelings About the Future
Despite their relief at moving, many residents still hope the Seven Sisters can be refurbished rather than demolished. Warner said, “I would like to see the blocks refurbished rather than demolished.” John Hurn added, “People didn’t trust RBH that much because they couldn't change what was happening. But they did a lot for us when Tentercroft flooded last year and that changed our minds about them.”
RBH has not yet decided on the future of the blocks. Fleming noted that if refurbishment is chosen, tenants who wish to return will be given the right to do so, though the timeline would be many years. The cost of refurbishment is expected to be millions of pounds.
