Bungalows razed for new homes
Reporter: by Richard Hooton
Date published: 31 March 2009
Alt TRA members Elaine Goodinson and Rob Goodinson join Alexandra ward member Cllr Glenis Shaw and Kevin Clarke, Co-ordinator, Alt & Sholver Partnership to see the demolition progress.
A HOST of rundown bungalows in Alt are being demolished to make way for new high-quality homes.
A site of 26 properties in Cherry Avenue will be cleared in the latest stage of regeneration plans for the area, led by the Alt and Sholver Partnership.
Proposals for Alt and Sholver include building new houses and schools and improving local facilities.
Rob Goodinson of the Alt Tenants’ and Residents’ Association said: “It is an important step forward for the community to have these unpopular properties cleared so we can move toward seeing new homes for Alt.” Kevin Clarke, co-ordinator for the Alt and Sholver Partnership said: “We will be landscaping the sites of the cleared properties in preparation for future development in the neighbourhood.
“We will be preparing this and other sites so that we are ready to progress things quickly when the economy picks up.
“We are also working hard in the meantime to identify investment funding that will help us in our objective of making Alt a great place to live.”
The demolition is being carried out by PGC demolition, who expect to have the site cleared by late May.
Flats close by on Cherry Avenue, which had become a target for vandalism, are also soon to be demolished.
Oldham Council provided support to the few remaining residents to move out of the Cherry Avenue properties — and all the former residents have found new homes.
They received financial support through the Home Loss Scheme to help them with the cost of moving.
The plans are part of the controversial Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder, which aims to transform properties in Oldham and Rochdale to improve people’s lives.
It has been awarded £90 million for the period 2008-2011 to drive forward improvements to nine neighbourhoods across the boroughs and to contribute to reviving the local economies.
