500 more homes set to be demolished across Stoke-on-Trent
ALMOST 500 more condemned homes are being bulldozed across Stoke-on-Trent's clearance areas.
The latest demolition programme is being funded by a £3.57 million Government grant to clear streets left abandoned by Renew North Staffordshire.
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READY: A bulldozer in Douglas Street.
That figure has been match-funded by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
As well as knocking down a total of 480 houses, the cash will be used to buy 79 properties from homeowners stuck in regeneration areas.
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Councillor Ruth Rosenau, cabinet member for regeneration, said: "The Government money has allowed the council to continue its programme of acquisition of sub-standard properties, demolition, land treatment and resident relocation.
"The £3.57 million received has already been allocated, and has directly been used in line with our programme of work, to buy 40 properties and demolish 240 properties in areas including Middleport, Shelton and Hanley.
"The city council has committed funding to match this money pound-for-pound, so a total of 79 property acquisitions and 480 demolitions is taking place."
Demolitions and acquisitions are taking place at Hanley's Dresden Street, Ludlow Street and Bucknall New Road clearance areas, which are part of the City Waterside project.
Houses will also be knocked down in Shelton's Parkhouse Street clearance area, which includes Bedford Road, Rectory Road, Argyle Street, Clarke Street, Grove Place and Havelock Place.
Other clearance areas affected include Pyenest Street and Raymond Street, in Shelton; and Shirley Street and Travers Street, in Middleport; as well as parts of Meir and Fegg Hayes.
In addition, seven properties in Port Street, in Middleport, are being bought to be refurbished.
Housing Minister Grant Shapps announced the Government cash in a visit to Hanley in November.
But he warned that the cash could not be used to build houses on the flattened sites.
It means the areas could be left empty for years before private developers move in to build homes.
Steven Pritchard, chairman of Portland and Cobridge Residents' Association, in Cobridge, said: "This is an ongoing issue with no simple solution.
"The main issue we have is people living in good homes are living next door to properties in a state of collapse.
"It's magnet for crime and antisocial behaviour."
Renew North Staffordshire was disbanded in April 2011 to leave swathes of derelict sites across Stoke-on-Trent.
The quango spent more than £120 million buying 1,696 homes and businesses in its seven-year lifespan.
But back in February 2004, Renew had revealed grand plans to demolish 14,000 homes and build 12,000 homes by 2024. It also planned to refurbish 10,000 privately-owned properties and 20,000 council or housing association homes.
Comments
by Benibz
Tuesday, August 28 2012, 11:40AM
“Does anybody no what houses and streets are being demolished in fegg hase... Im buyin a house 18 west terrace... .. Any info appreciated”
by I_Norris
Saturday, April 28 2012, 9:08PM
“HAGGI5: can you explain why it wasn't redeveloped many years, why there was such widespread demolition instead of smaller schemes 10 years ago they started to demolish middleport and they are still demolishing it. a few small schemes with communities moving from nearby would have boosted confidence. I think confidence now is shattered. Can you give the next housing development that will give use the confidence and bring back some pride in our City what have we to look forward to.
and why is all redvelopment still based on old transport lines the pattern of housing doesnt seem to be moving on”
by HAGGI5
Saturday, April 28 2012, 8:58PM
“Hey Red,
I kept moving cos of the moaning stokies, finally left Stokyo in 07”
by Redpitlad
Saturday, April 28 2012, 8:33PM
“sorry should have read *carpet bombed.”
by Redpitlad
Saturday, April 28 2012, 8:30PM
“HaggI5,
Moaning hey and regenerate.
The city looks like its been carpet bomb..! It has been laid to waste,I'd love to see where all the regeneration money went to..?
PS,
why did you keep moving? didn't your neighbour like you..!”
by Tonyjohnt
Saturday, April 28 2012, 8:05PM
“I'm trying to look to the future, but it just seems to be waste ground.
I'm just glad we have someone as well travelled and wise as you sorting it for us... we could be stuck with some patronising, arrogant type.”
by HAGGI5
Saturday, April 28 2012, 7:31PM
“Tony,
Having lived in Meir, Longton, Dresden, Hanley, Stoke, Burslem, Trent Vale, Burslem, Saxonfields, Bentilee, Bucknall and Birches Head, I've probably seen more of the city than most Stokies who daren't venture further than the end of their street. I don't live in the city now but I do spend most of my time in my job helping to REGENERATE areas of YOUR city that should have been redeveloped years ago. So my friend look to the future and stop wallowing in the past!”
by Tonyjohnt
Saturday, April 28 2012, 6:29PM
“HAGGI5 - so demolition is 'revamping' is it?
Do you actually live here, or are you another internet troll like mrbigman? How these idiots have laid waste to our city mate - we have every right to moan! My neighbourhood hasn't been demolished, far worse - half of it has been boarded up... and still these fools salivate over models as Adolph did with Speer when the Red Army were yards away!”
by HAGGI5
Saturday, April 28 2012, 5:40PM
“Signs that the Council are trying to revamp the city, not that any stokies notice.....too busy moaning!”
by Redpitlad
Saturday, April 28 2012, 2:53PM
“If I'm reading this story right the? government has given £3.57 million pounds which is being matched pound for pound by the council..!
making a total of over £7 million pound.. which would amount to around £14.000 per house to update or £28.000 for saving half of the houses marked for demolition..! which could then be rented out.. generating funds towards on going program of saving community in stead of destroying them..!
then surely ..! given the shortage of housing in stoke on trent...this would make sense?
or-may be not given this council record on regeneration.”