Lower Falinge residents facing legal demolition notices

Residents of Lower Falinge are to be issued legal demolition notices. The notices are a legal requirement issued to homes which are expected to be affected by demolition in the next five years.

RBH visited residents to provide an information sheet about the notices and what they mean, answer questions and provide support before the formal legal notice is issued. 

A spokesman for Rochdale Boroughwide Housing said: “One of the next steps in taking forward these proposals is to issue a legal notice called an Initial Demolition Notice to homes expected to be affected by demolition in the next five years.

“This does not mean that demolition is about to start. It lets residents know, formally, that their home could be demolished within the next five years as part of the proposals.

“As we know that the next phases of development will take place in Lower Falinge, we will be issuing these notices to the affected homes in this area first.

“We plan to issue the Initial Demolition Notices in the coming months, so we wanted to give people whose homes are affected plenty of notice that this will be happening. We know we won’t have been able to catch everyone at home, so we have posted a calling card providing information on how residents can get in touch with us, including face to face, by email and telephone.”

Initially put forward in June 2017, controversial proposals could see several blocks demolished at Lower Falinge, as part of a 20-year regeneration plan. Both Lower Falinge and College Bank are being looked at for demolition.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/110864/rbh-proposes-demolishing-four-of-the-seven-sisters-tower-blocks-at-college-bank

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/110951/residents-respond-to-rochdale-boroughwide-housing-demolition-plans-for-college-bank-and-lower-falinge

The first blocks identified at Lower Falinge for the next phase are Melrose, Lindisfarne, Ibsley, Johnston, and Kirkstall.Thetford, Stavordale, Quinton, Pershore, Glastonbury, Dunstable, Atherstone, Hinton, Edington and Bromfield have been identified as remaining.

Currently, there are approximately 450 properties on the site, with the plans affecting around half of these. However, up to 560 new homes of different types and sizes could be built in an ‘improved network of streets, public realm and landscaped spaces’ with ‘integrated landscape and play’.The proposals also include improvements to play areas, better parking for residents and improvements in the retained flats, including new windows and doors.

RBH has guaranteed residents who want to stay in the town centre will be able to do so, should the highly-controversial plans go ahead.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/112547/rbh-guarantees-town-centre-homes-for-residents-at-college-bank-and-lower-falinge-if-flats-are-demolished

The next community workshop, focusing on the Lower Falinge aspect of the proposals, will take place on Thursday 12 April from 3pm until 7pm at the Lower Falinge Community Base, 238 Newstead, Lower Falinge.

Download