More funds needed to save Rochdale's Seven Sisters, landlord says

The College Bank tower blocks are known in Rochdale as the Seven Sisters

A £107m plan to save a town's 1960s tower blocks from demolition needs more funding to succeed, the landlord behind the project has said.

Hundreds of tenants left Rochdale's College Bank after the owners announced plans to knock down four of the blocks, known as the Seven Sisters, in 2017.

But Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) said it now wants to refurbish the site but could not afford to solely fund it.

The social housing provider said it was "committed" to finding a solution.

A new leadership team was brought in at the housing association last year.

The changes followed the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak from exposure to mould in one of RBH's homes.

Roy Kitcher, a College Bank resident for 12 years, said the threat of demolition left the estate "like a ghost town" compared to what it used to be.

But the plan has been reconsidered by the new leadership team at RBH, which is hoping a "significant funding gap" in its £107m project could be bridged.

RBH signed an agreement with affordable housing developer Legal & General last year to work up a viable solution, with the pair engaged in talks with the public sector about further funding.

Plans to demolish the blocks have been reconsidered by the owners

Under their proposals, all 700 homes in College Bank would be modernised, with six of the blocks set aside as affordable homes, and one advertised at a market rent.

The move has been welcomed by those residents who refused to leave their flats years ago and opposed the demolition plan.

Joan Wainwright, who has lived in one of the flats for 34 years, said RBH's new approach was "great" and would "give us a community back that the town needs".

"It's something that's going to put Rochdale back on the map for the right reasons," the 69-year-old said.

Refurbishing the 1960s blocks is estimated to cost more than £100m

Mr Kitcher said it was a "positive move" in the right direction, but added he was worried whether the funding could be found.

"It is unnerving for residents…and the fact that RBH is struggling on their side of the finances, is not good," he added

If the funding is found and a refurbishment plan is approved by the RBH board, the project is estimated to take five-years to complete.

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