Members of Leeds City Council’s executive board are poised to endorse proposals for relocating residents and demolishing six high-rise buildings throughout Leeds.
These six tower blocks, initially erected in the 1960s, have surpassed their original design lifespan and would necessitate substantial investment to bring them up to a suitable standard for future inclusion in the council’s housing estate.
While the blocks currently remain safe, given the financial constraints and the substantial expense of undertaking remedial work, the decision to dismantle these six sites is likely to gain approval.
The forthcoming use and development of these sites will be subject to further evaluation, with the aim of facilitating the provision of high-quality, affordable housing.
A comprehensive consultation has already been conducted with residents in Bailey Towers, Brookland Towers, and Ramshead Heights in Seacroft, Leafield Towers in Moortown, and Raynville Court and Raynville Grange in Armley. These residents will receive full support throughout the rehousing process.
To assist council tenants in securing new accommodations, the executive board of the council is expected to agree to give priority to their housing applications, ensuring they are successfully relocated to suitable, long-term residences. Tenants who have resided in their homes for over 12 months will also be eligible for compensation.
A complete report, which will be discussed at Leeds City Council’s executive board meeting on Wednesday, 18th October, can be accessed on the Council and Democracy section of leeds.gov.uk.
Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing said, “The demolition of the tower blocks is an important step towards future-proofing the council’s housing stock, ensuring that we meet our commitment to delivering good quality and affordable homes for residents.
“However, we understand the impact that this will have on our residents across the sites, and I would like to extend my thanks for their constructive engagement with the council so far.
“We’ve undertaken extensive and proactive consultation with all of our impacted residents and will continue to do so as we are absolutely committed to ensuring any disruption is minimal. We will continue to ensure that all residents are supported through the rehousing process, to see that they are successfully rehoused into homes that suit them for the long term.”
