Hundreds of Blackpool families to be evicted in ‘mass dispersion’ of vulnerable people | Housing

Hundreds of families in Blackpool, England, face eviction as part of a £90 million regeneration plan that critics are calling a “mass dispersion” of vulnerable people.

Blackpool Regeneration Plan to Displace Hundreds

Four hundred homes in Blackpool will be demolished this summer and replaced with 230 new properties under proposals signed off by the government. Official documents indicate that more than 800 residents – including approximately 250 children – are among the poorest 10% of the population in England.

Residents have expressed bewilderment, anger, and distress, fearing homelessness as a result of the scheme, according to the Rev. Matthew Lockwood, leader of Beacon church. Chris Webb, the Labour MP for Blackpool South, has raised concerns about the plan following a public meeting last month.

The demolitions in the Rydal Avenue area highlight the ongoing shortage of affordable housing and the need for improvements in areas facing entrenched poverty.

Blackpool council maintains that the project is a crucial part of the town’s regeneration. Council leader Lynn Williams stated, “I can’t comprehend how any community leader can say regenerating one of the most deprived areas of the country is a bad thing.”

Residents are concerned that the demolitions will exacerbate the town’s housing crisis by reducing the number of affordable properties. Blackpool has a relatively low level of social housing, with approximately 10% of all properties being social housing, compared to a national average of 17%. Nearly 12,000 households are currently on the social housing waiting list, according to official figures.

The council received £90 million from Michael Gove, the former levelling up secretary, in March of last year as part of the Homes England agenda. The plan involves demolishing up to 400 “poor quality” houses and replacing them with 230 “high quality, energy efficient” properties, including townhouses.

The council reports that a large number of the homes slated for demolition do not meet basic living standards and are unsafe, empty, or overcrowded. Inspections of 679 homes revealed that two-thirds had a category one hazard – posing a risk to life or serious injury – and 74% did not meet the decent homes standard.

However, a 2019 masterplan developed in partnership with Blackpool council described many of the homes as “good quality” and an “excellent example of early 20th century terraced housing.”

An impact assessment identifies more than 800 people in the regeneration zone, including 50 toddlers and around 200 children under 15. A quarter of the residents are disabled, and approximately 80 are over 65.

The Rev. Lockwood stated that around 300 families will be evicted under the scheme, exacerbating mental distress due to anxiety and a sense of powerlessness.

In October, a coroner ruled that the council’s forced purchase of a resident’s house under a separate regeneration plan contributed to his suicide. The coroner found that the compulsory purchase order played a “more than minimal role” in Alistair Taylor’s death and described the council’s approach as lacking focus and thought.

A council spokesperson could not specify how many of the 230 new homes would be social or affordable housing, but noted that two similar schemes had been wholly social housing and reduced poverty levels.

Paul Kimberlin, a resident facing eviction, stated he would fight the demolitions “all the way.” He purchased his three-bedroom property in 2018 and says it means “everything” to him following the death of his partner from cancer.

Kimberlin turned down the council’s offer of £96,000 for his house plus £15,000 in compensation, stating it wouldn’t be enough to buy a comparable property. Brian and Rose Timmins reluctantly agreed to leave their Victorian terrace after being offered supported accommodation.

Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the prospect of eviction was “traumatic” due to the lack of affordable rental options, with available properties costing significantly more than her current rent of £650 per month.