St Peters Court: Lowestoft's only high-rise flats WILL be demolised
Residents are set to be moved out, as East Suffolk Council says it would have to spend ÂŁ9m to bring the tower up to scratch.
East Suffolk Council has confirmed it plans to knock down Lowestoft's only high rise block of flats.
St Peters Court, which was originally built in 1968, is facing an immediate repair and maintenance bill of almost ÂŁ9m - or over ÂŁ8,500 per resident over 30 years.
In total, East Suffolk Council thinks the building will need over ÂŁ23m worth of work over the next three decades.
As a result, councillors have decided demolition is the best option, with the former site of the tower to be redeveloped into new homes.
Residents are set to be moved out over the next 12 months.
Councillor David Beavan, East Suffolk Cabinet Member for Housing said: “The last thing we wanted to do in a housing crisis was knock down 90 of our council flats, but we have little choice."
"Ballpark figures are that we could spend ÂŁ9m getting St Peters up to the required standard and give tenants another 10 years in their homes, albeit disrupted by building works.
“Or we bite the bullet, making the difficult decision to demolish, then deliver new sustainable council homes to rent for another 100 years.
"We don’t want to kick this can down the road for another administration to sort out. We are not afraid to take this hard decision in the best interests of Lowestoft people.
“We know that these are not just bricks and mortar but homes to 60 families. I spent two days talking to tenants the other week.
"The Court was once a great community, held in affection by local people, but tenants realise that its time has come.
"I guarantee that all tenants will be offered alternative appropriate social housing In Lowestoft. Nobody is going to be exiled unless they want to move.
“This is just one example of problems we have inherited in East Suffolk housing but our determination to increase safe, secure and affordable housing by 500 in our four year administration is undiminished.
"We will deal with the East Suffolk housing crisis by hook or by crook. Our housing team is up for the challenge. Watch this space.”