Plans to knock down six derelict housing blocks in Rochdale’s Lower Falinge estate have hit a legal pothole after the council forgot to write down why they weren’t bothering with an environmental assessment, a small clerical oversight that could delay regeneration by, well, forever.
The buildings in question, Ollerton, Newstead, Romsey, Quinton, Ullesthorpe, and Vaynor, have already achieved celebrity status in Rochdale for being uninhabitable, unloved, and largely used as pigeon hostels. The diggers were due to roll in on June 2nd, but now find themselves in a holding pattern because someone at RBH forgot to copy and paste the magic words: “EIA not required, because… reasons.”
A judicial review, launched by solicitors acting for residents nearby (presumably the ones who still have roofs and working plumbing), claimed that demolishing the blocks would somehow impact the “amenity” of the area, which is bold, considering the only amenity currently available is tetanus.
In a rare moment of public honesty, an RBH spokesperson admitted, “Yes, we said no environmental impact assessment was needed, but forgot to actually explain why, so now we have to do the whole thing again. Whoopsie daisy.”
RBH has 28 days to rubber-stamp the same plan all over again, but with more paperwork and fewer legal headaches. Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, who presumably had the bunting ready for a “Demolition Day” barbecue, are now forced to wait politely while lawyers argue over how much impact an empty concrete shell has on someone’s view of McDonalds.
Hannah Fleming from RBH remains confident the application is legally sound, environmentally friendly, and destined to be approved again, assuming no further catastrophes involving missing emails or rogue staplers.
She said: “The buildings aren’t just ugly, hey’re basically uninhabitable husks. The only affordable and sustainable thing to do is demolish them and replace them with homes that won’t fall over when it rains.”
Reporting from down the M62, we’ll continue to monitor the exciting saga of “Houses That Nobody Lives In: Legal Edition,” and eagerly await the day the diggers are finally allowed to do their thing, assuming Rochdale Council remembers to bring the paperwork this time.
