Three Huddersfield tower blocks could be demolished
Kirklees Council is due to make a decision next week
Council chiefs will make a decision next week on whether to pull down three tower blocks in Huddersfield.
Buxton House, in the town centre, and Holme Park Court and Bishops Court, both in Berry Brow, could be demolished and replaced with low-rise blocks.
The process could cost almost £80m, taking four years for Buxton House and seven years at Berry Brow.
Harold Wilson Court in Huddersfield will be remodelled at a cost of £3.65m.
Kirklees Council investigated fire safety improvements in the aftermath of the blaze at Grenfell Tower in West London on June 14 2017, which claimed 72 lives. The fire in the 23-storey block spread rapidly via outside insulation.
The resultant Hackitt Review confirmed the need for social landlords, including Kirklees, to mitigate risks and provide assurance to tenants that properties meet regulatory standards.
The council began tenant consultation after tests on wall render at Berry Brow revealed flammable insulation.
Tenants were given options to back refurbishment and remediation of the blocks or demolition and new build at Berry Brow and Buxton House, and for major fire safety improvements at Harold Wilson Court.
At Berry Brow 63% said the buildings should be demolished and replaced with new housing.
At Buxton House most respondents said the council should carry out improvements to bring the building up to modern standards.
However a final decision on what happens may be influenced by the so-called Huddersfield Blueprint – Kirklees Council’s £250m vision for the town centre.
There are 196 flats across the two 17-storey blocks at Berry Brow, and a further 56 flats at 11-storey Buxton House in the town centre.
All three were constructed in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The new plans would see a loss of 63 units at Berry Brow.
If Buxton House was to be demolished it would be replaced with 18 low-rise blocks providing 91 new units.
Knocking down the two blocks at Berry Brow would involve re-housing tenants. The process of “decanting” tenants, demolition and rebuilding could take 84 months, or seven years.
Decanting Buxton House would be completed in phases, five floors at a time. Households would be supported to apply for rehousing and, if moving permanently, would be eligible to each receive Statutory Home Loss Payments of £6,500.
If tenants refuse to leave the council can seek possession of their flats.
People living at Harold Wilson Court will be offered daily respite or moved into voids flats held in the block during the works programme.
A recommendation to demolish Holme Park Court and Bishops Court, and to improve/remediate Buxton House, will be heard at Cabinet next week (July 27).