The Mayor of Basingstoke helped demolish the flat he once lived in as part of a regeneration lead by a borough housing association.
Sentinel is pumping £40million, supported by a £14million grant from the Homes and Communities Agency to provide over 200 homes along with newly equipped play areas and shops along Faroe Close, Maldove Close and more.
The housing association took over the Popley Island site earlier this year and demolition company Hughes Salvidge has been stripping out the insides of the blocks. Now demolishing of the buildings, at a rate of one per week, has got underway and the Mayor, Cllr Brian Gurden, lent his services this week.
He said: “It gives me great pleasure to officially start this important regeneration. Having once lived in Maldive Close when we first moved to Basingstoke in the 1990s. I welcome the end of these spacious but old and uncomfortable properties. The fine community that lives here deserves better, and I am sure this regeneration project will deliver just that.
Sentinel chief executive Martin Nurse is confident the regeneration will be of great benefit to the community.
He said: “We are very pleased to see the first phase of this regeneration project get underway. We have worked closely with local residents over the last three years to make this new development something we can all be proud of.
“With so many people needing affordable housing we see this as a vital investment not only in new homes but also in a better quality of life for the community. We expect the first new residents to move in by January 2011 and have the new community fully established by March 2012.”
The new homes promise to be more energy efficient while a new road layout and footpaths will make it easier to get around.
