Leeds City Council set to demolish six high-rise tower blocks in Seacroft, Armley and Moortown

Six blocks across Seacroft, Armley and Moortown are set to be approved for demolition this week.

The six tower blocks were built in the 1960s and have now exceeded their original design life.

The blocks are reported to “remain safe at present” but the council is choosing to take action “in light of financial pressures and the significant cost of delivering remedial work”.

The news is not thought to be a surprise to local residents, with consultation processes already taken place in Bailey Towers, Brookland Towers and Ramshead Heights in Seacroft, as well as Leafield Towers in Moortown; Raynville Court and Raynville Grange in Armley.

The development of the sites and any further use will be subject to review in the future, but it is hoped that “good quality affordable housing” will be plotted on the sites post-demolition.

The council has stated that all blocks “will be fully supported through the rehousing process”, and the LCC executive board is set to agree to prioritise their housing applications so that residents can find “suitable long-term housing”.

Tenants that have lived in their homes for over 12 months will also qualify for compensation.

The formal council discussion is set to take place this Wednesday 18 October 2023, where it is expected that the plans to rehouse residents and demolish the buildings will be approved.

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.”

Read More:

• Northern Rail installs fake birds at stations to scare pigeons away from ‘problematic poo hotspots’
• The Leeds festival that’s always one step ahead of spotting ‘the next big thing’
• The Man With The Barrel – the Barrel Man celebrating Leeds partnership with Dortmund

Feature Image – Leeds City Council, Supplied