Contract awarded for regeneration scheme

11:11pm Saturday 8th March 2008

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A DEMOLITION company will be awarded a £900,000 council contract to pull down houses in three areas targeted by a regeneration scheme.

Sedgefield Borough Council's cabinet has agreed to appoint a firm to demolish 217 properties in the first phase of its housing master plan.

The council adopted the scheme in July 2006 to revive the communities of Dean Bank in Ferryhill, Ferryhill Station and West Chilton with housing led projects.

It includes significant clearance of properties, particularly terraced houses for which there is little demand on the housing market.

Almost 200 further properties could be pulled down in later stages of the scheme.

Middlesbrough-based A Buckler Haulage will be awarded a two year contract to secure, strip and ultimately demolish the first batch of houses, outbuildings and garages.

That will include removing gas, electricity and water supplies and testing for materials such as asbestos as required by the Health and Safety Executive before they can be bulldozed.

When an area is cleared it will then be soiled and seeded in preparation for phase two of the master plan.

That will include regeneration proposals such as redeveloping land for new homes to meet local demand along with new community spaces and landscaping to improve the appearance of a neighbourhood.

Many of the properties are already empty and owned by the authority but talks over the remaining properties are ongoing.

Housing strategy manager, Dianne Hedley, said: "This will take time but this contract is a positive move, demonstrating commitment to the master plan.

"We will keep engaging with the community in the form of attendance at residents associations, public meetings and liaison with residents and property owners on an individual basis."

A Buckler Haulage was one of four companies that bid for the work- along with John Wade Haulage from Newton Aycliffe, the council's housing maintenance partner Mears and MGL Demolition of Durham.

Its tender of £917,662 was the lowest but it must still agree details including insurance, bonds and method statements before the contract is signed.