Residents in the iconic Seven Sisters tower blocks will be paid in excess of £7,000 if they permanently relocate their flats, according to a letter from the company which manages them.
The letter, from Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH), says residents who move to another RBH home — or another private house — can expect a £7,100 ‘homeloss payment’ from the firm, plus help towards moving costs.
The firm says it’s taking the step to ensure there are enough homes across the College Bank complex when refurbishment gets underway.
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That refurbishment is set to begin in 2023, the letter adds, and will complete in 2025.
During that two-year spell, residents in the affected blocks will be relocated into a sister building — known as a ‘decant move’.
The ‘masterplan’ for the area will see four of the seven high-rises demolished — with only Underwood, Mardyke, and Holland Rise remaining, albeit after a £12 million refurbishment.
“We can confirm that our next three year budget plan includes over £12 million for us to start on the refurbishment of Underwood,” the letter began. “We hope to be able to confirm a contractor for these works by the end of 2022 with works starting in 2023. We anticipate that the refurbishment of Underwood will be completed in early 2025 due to the scale of work required.
“As we told you last year the refurbishment will be extensive and will require all residents to move out while this work takes place.
“We are aiming for these temporary moves to be to homes within Mardyke and Holland Rise which is why we have been holding homes empty across these blocks.
“However, we know from conversations with residents that not all tenants wish to stay in College Bank long term (or after refurbishment). This is why we are now in a position to offer a homeloss payment to tenants in any of the three blocks for retention in the masterplan (Underwood, Mardyke, and Holland Rise) who wish to move home permanently now.
“This will also help to ensure that there are enough homes across Underwood, Mardyke and Holland Rise to accommodate all those who will need to move temporarily and wish to stay within College Bank as part of the refurbishment plans.”
The letter then goes on to confirm that the payment will be £7,100 — with a further £500 disturbance payment and £250 towards moving costs also provided.
In Mitchell Hey, one of the buildings set to be levelled, only a handful of residents remain, it adds, with another block — Tentercroft, also 58 percent empty.
