Following the Grenfell fire in June 2017, there has been increased scrutiny on the safety of all tower blocks. As a responsible landlord, we have also been looking at the safety and long-term future of our tower blocks. Over the past year, our focus has been on the removal of cladding from the tower blocks to ensure the safety of our homes.

The removal of the cladding revealed some additional structural challenges within the blocks. As well as reduced thermal efficiency, tower blocks of this type often suffer with issues of damp and mould. The design and nature of these buildings means that they can be difficult to adapt, change or upgrade to meet modern standards. As such, we have considered how we can improve the condition of the tower blocks to provide high quality, modern homes that are adapted to resident needs.

Having been built in the 1960s, the tower blocks do not reflect modern housing requirements, so refurbishment is not a suitable long-term solution. Whilst refurbishment would improve the existing flats, even with significant investment we will not be able match new build standards. We would still be left with a lower standard of accommodation that would remain costly to maintain, repair and heat.

Therefore, refurbishment is not a suitable option, whereas demolition provides an opportunity to provide new, improved homes that are better suited to local housing needs and reflect modern requirements.

No, we have carefully analysed the costings for both options and demolition of the tower blocks is more expensive than to retain and refurbish. Whilst it is more expensive, we are pursuing demolition because it will provide better quality homes for residents in the long-term.

The demolition process will start with Richmond House. As this block stands on its own, it makes sense for us to start here. By phasing the rehousing process, we can also make sure that everyone gets fair access to social housing that is available in the area.

Once the block is empty, we will begin the work to demolish the building and aim to start building new properties here while work is ongoing to rehouse tenants from Lincoln and Carlisle Houses.

In order to manage the rehousing process, those living in Richmond House will receive Band A priority on Select Move as this block will be demolished first. If you do not live in Richmond House, you can still place bids on properties on Select Move, but those from Richmond House will receive priority Band A in the first instance.

As we move through the rehousing process, we will review progress and decide when to award Carlisle & Lincoln Houses Band A. New properties are added to Select Move every week, so there will be plenty of opportunities for residents from every block to bid on a property.

You will not need to move out of your home straightaway and there will be time to work with our dedicated teams to find a suitable rehousing option. When we start demolition will depend on how long it takes to rehouse all the tenants from the blocks.

We do not expect demolition to start for at least 18 months, depending on how long it takes to rehouse residents, starting with Richmond House first. Once we have rehoused residents from Richmond House, we will demolish this block whilst work is ongoing to rehouse residents from Carlisle and Lincoln Houses.

Once each block is empty, it will take some time before the block is completely demolished. Due to the construction of the blocks and the fact that they are so close to other houses, each block will be completely covered in scaffolding and the demolition will be undertaken primarily by hand. We will begin work in the coming weeks to appoint a demolition contractor and once they are in place, we will begin looking at a programme for the demolition.

Our dedicated teams will be here to help residents through every step of the rehousing process and make sure that this is as smooth as possible. We will talk to each household on an individual basis to understand their specific housing requirements.

Residents will be advised to register on Preston Council’s choice-based lettings system, ‘Select Move’, which will advise on how to make bids for properties. We will talk residents through this process as well as the other options that are available, for example if you wish to make your own arrangements. Residents will also be considered for any other properties that Onward manages where available.

Compensation will be made available to each household made up of two separate payments.

The first is a Home Loss Payment, which compensates for having to leave your home. The Government sets this figure. The Government has now made changes to Home Loss Payment, which has been raised from £7,800 to £8,100. This will come into effect from 1st October 2023.

A Disturbance Payment is also available which covers incidental moving costs, such as hiring a removal van, having post redirected and disconnection and reconnection of white goods. We will discuss this with households on an individual basis.

Tenants should be aware that any rent arrears or any other money owed to Onward will be deducted from their Home Loss payment. We will discuss individual circumstances as we go through the rehousing process.

Compensation payments are generally paid when you move into your new home, but there may be occasions where we are able to pay part of your compensation in advance, for instance if you need to pay a deposit for a new rental property.

We recognise that there are residents that will require some extra support with the rehousing process for various reasons. We will provide tailored support to help each individual household covering everything from rehousing, packing up, moving on the day and financial support. Our dedicated teams will be on hand to listen and help.

Our plans are at a very early stage so it is difficult to give exact timescales. However, if we can demolish the blocks within three years, it will then take around 12 months for ground works to be completed before any new building can begin.

Once rebuilding works have started, it will then be around 12 months before the first properties are ready to move in to. We expect that the first homes will be ready to move into by approximately 2027.

Our redevelopment plans are at an early stage, but we already know that any redevelopment of the tower block site will not result in the same numbers of homes being delivered. This is because the tower blocks will not be replaced with other types of high-rise homes as these are not reflective of local housing needs. We will be providing a mix of new homes that reflect local housing needs, including houses and some low-rise apartment blocks.

We recognise that many customers in this area have historic links to the community and will have a desire to return to new homes that are built on these sites. Existing tenants will be able to bid on any properties that are built as part of the redevelopment.

Whilst we cannot guarantee that all residents will be allocated in the local area, individual needs will be considered taken into consideration when being allocated a property and reasonable offers will be made.

We will talk to each household to understand their specific requirements. Some properties in the tower blocks were allocated at a time when there were less restrictions on the number of bedrooms to the number of occupants. As such, we expect that properties will be allocated based on need, not on what residents currently occupy. However, we will discuss this with each property on an individual basis so that we can understand their needs.

This decision does not mean that we will stop maintaining and investing and the properties. In line with the feedback received throughout the consultation period, we will where possible look to improve services whilst the blocks remain in use. If you have any issues with your property, please submit these through the MyOnward portal or call the Customer Contact Centre as usual.