Residents to be re-homed as Spon End blocks marked for demolition
Three residential blocks in Spon End are set to be demolished as part of a new housing regeneration project in Coventry.
Work to flatten Kerry House, Milestone House and Trafalgar House will take place in 2023. They will be replaced by new homes by 2025.
In total, 158 flats are to be levelled with residents set to be re-homed over the next two years.
Housing association Citizen, which manages the properties, has responded to concerns raised by residents, revealing they hope to house the residents "in an area that suits them" in Coventry.
The regeneration plans at Kerry House, Milestone House, and Trafalgar House were first announced in 2019 when £12m worth of improvements were announced.
It came after a survey of residents showed many wanted to see investment in the area, to tackle anti-social behaviour issues and the need for improvement to homes.
Originally, the plans would have seen significant work carried out to the blocks, including new roofs, doors, windows, energy efficiency measures and improvements to security.
But, building survey work carried out in empty flats showed that the work would cost an additional £4m. It was said this would still not have guaranteed the long-term life of the buildings, or improve energy efficiency.
Instead, the decision was made to demolish the blocks, and replace these with new homes in Spon End.
However, due to the timescale of the project, residents will have to move. And though a letter sent to residents by Citizen, and seen by CoventryLive, suggests once the new homes are built, former residents will be able to express an interest in returning, a move into the new homes would not be guarantedd.
The demolition plans are set to affect 158 flats across the three blocks.
Citizen has confirmed that over the next four weeks, residents will be contacted to discuss their housing needs.
From September, and over the next two years, the housing association has said that they will be rehousing residents.
Kevin Rodgers, chief executive of Citizen, said: “We are pleased to be able to move forward with our plans to transform Spon End.
“As a not-for-profit social housing provider, it is our duty to make investment decisions which benefit people in our communities in a responsible and sustainable way.
“This decision was not taken lightly but it became clear once we had completed the in-depth surveys of the buildings that this is the right way to move forward.
“We will start the rehousing process in September and will consult the community ahead of developing plans for the new homes in Spon End.
“We will work with our residents to minimise disruption to their lives and we will support them all the way through the rehousing process.”
