DEMOLITION JOB
Hollington tower blocks to be bulldozed, residents relocated
HUGH SULLIVAN
Southern Housing, the largest provider of social housing in Hastings, last week announced plans to demolish four tower blocks on Stonehouse Drive, Hollington in which over 400 households currently reside.
Southern’s intention is to replace the blocks with new-build, low-rise social housing by the time that construction is concluded five or more years from now, the site is expected to accommodate a greater number of homes overall.
The high-rise buildings – Bevin Court, Roosevelt Court, Kennedy Court and Churchill Court, known collectively as the Four Courts – were erected in the 1960s. Two of the four blocks, Bevin and Roosevelt, are dedicated to housing over-65s and/or disabled residents, many of whom have severe mobility problems.
In the words of Southern’s own press release, the buildings “no longer reflect the standards of modern living and don’t meet today’s design and accessibility requirements”.
A spokesperson added that, even with significant investment, it would not be practicable to adapt the existing buildings to provide satisfactory future facilities: “For example, essential upgrades such as lifts that stop on all floors – as they currently don’t – and are large enough to enable ambulance crews to exit residents are not feasible within the current buildings.
“The render at Bevin Court has detached, and attaching new cladding, given the construction methodology from the 1960s, presents significant challenges. Each block has only one staircase, which impacts accessibility and mobility. In short, the design and layout of flats don’t meet modern mobility standards, and the physical constraints of the buildings restrict the opportunities to modernise these blocks to the standards residents expect.”
Southern has made it clear that all residents will be offered re-housing, either within the replacement estate as it comes into being or elsewhere. A spokesperson said that the housing provider is “committed to supporting every Four Courts Resident into a new suitable home, close to their support network”.
The proposed timetable involves all residents of Bevin Court moving out by March 2026, those of Roosevelt Court by March 2027, and those of Kennedy Court and Churchill Court following on.
SHOCK ANNOUNCEMENT
The announcement came, however, as a shock to many of the Four Courts residents, who were unaware that Southern had any such plans afoot. They heard of the intended demolitions for the first time last week when housing officers knocked on individual doors and invited them to attend presentations in the respective ground-floor lounges of Bevin Court and Roosevelt Court and in the local community centre.
Residents who have lived there for upwards of 20 years were understandably upset at the prospect of wholesale removals, even though Southern have said that every household will be assigned a dedicated Resettlement Officer “who will work with them and support them through the moving process”. All residents will receive a one-off home loss payment, and the normal costs associated with moving home, including removals, would be covered.
“I don’t like it but I understand it,” said one resident of Roosevelt Court who has terminal cancer and a severely disabled wife.
Other residents seemed similarly resigned to the move, though several said on enquiry that they were personally quite content with existing conditions within their block. There was a general consensus that relocation to Bexhill (particularly to existing Southern estates on the seafront) or to Battle would be more acceptable than remaining in St Leonards or Hastings.
COUNCIL RESPONSE
The housing department of Hastings Borough Council has clearly been in the know about Southern’s plans for some time, and is supportive. A council spokesperson said: “We have had several conversations with Southern Housing about their plans to improve the housing at Four Courts. We know that moving will be unsettling for some residents who have lived in their homes for many years, but there is a dedicated resettlement team and a clear plan in place to support them and their families through the change and ensure everyone who wants to can be rehoused locally.
“The redevelopment of the site will provide more affordable social housing with a mix of house types that are environmentally sustainable and that meet current mobility standards.”
Local councillors John Cannan (Wishing Tree ward) and Paul Barnett (Hollington ward), both members of the Hastings (ex-Labour) Independents Group, have also welcomed Southern’s redevelopment scheme.
Cllr Cannan said: “Having campaigned since being elected in Wishing Tree to get Southern Housing to properly address the significant number of problems at the Four Courts, I welcome the news that they are finally planning to regenerate the area and provide modern and safe homes for all their residents.” He was concerned, however, that the process of moving residents should be done “sensitively, acknowledging that…these are people’s homes, where people have brought up families and memories have been made.”
Three Labour councillors, Helen Kay, Danuta Kean and Phil Scott, have met with Southern executives since the announcement. Cllr Kean reported on Facebook that they asked at the meeting how the Four Courts residents could be rehoused in the face of the current shortage of housing in the area. They were told that the real logjam is in family homes, single and small households, the majority in the Four Courts, will be moved first.
Southern has been asked to recognise the recently established independent tenants’ association HASHTA (Hastings Area Southern Housing Tenants Association) as representing the residents.
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