Residents who have been offered £7k to leave their homes in Rochdale have spoken of their anxieties over the future.
Those currently living in the 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.
That refurbishment is set to begin in 2023, the letter adds, and will complete in 2025.
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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.
A 66-year-old woman, who lives in Underwood, said the thought of leaving her home makes her feel anxious.
“No amount of compensation could move me out of here,” she told the Manchester Evening News.
“I love it.
"I just feel really disappointed because I love it here. I feel safe; we only have one way in and there's all the cameras.
"I've been here 30 years and it's a lifetime.
"I'm 66 and with ill health. I can't see me moving anywhere else.
"They say I qualify for a bungalow. But because I've been here for 30 years and I've been high up, I can't have anyone walking past my window. I wouldn't feel safe and with my health, I have to have them open.
"The only benefit would be if I had a garden.
"I've got some lovely friends here who looked after me when I was isolating.”
The woman, who has lived in block of flats for more than 30 years, added: "I have anxiety and it's the thought of moving from here because I love my flat and the views. It's the stress of packing up thirty years' worth of goodies and moving to a strange place that I don't know."
Another resident told the M.E.N he has no idea what his plans are for the future.
"I'm not happy about it obviously but if they're doing it up, they're doing it up,” he said.
"I don't know what I'm going to do. I will have to see what's on offer.
"Everything is so up in the air at the moment. It's quite stressful."
A 52-year-old man, who wished to remain anonymous, has lived in the flat block for 13 years.
He believes he may take the money and find somewhere else to live.
"I'm very anxious about it. It's not nice having all your stuff moved,” he said.
"I've got to move all my furniture and move it back in when they're done.
"I've lived here for 13 years; I don't know what I'm going to do to be honest.
"What I'm going to end up doing is moving somewhere and staying, but I'm not sure what they're offering."
A letter to residents read: “We can confirm that our next three-year budget plan includes over £12 million for us to start on the refurbishment of Underwood.
“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.
