Walking to Bingley on the canal towpath, I noticed demolition of the Crosley Wood flats is underway. The tower blocks, Peel House, Brunswick House and Adelaide House, have been a local landmark for about 50 years, though not a very attractive one. When she was a little girl, my daughter used to call them 'the three flats of Bingley'. She could see them from her bedroom window when we lived in Bingley and she said they always made her feel she was 'home' .
They were owned by the local social housing provider, Incommunities, who took the decision to demolish them after the Grenfell Tower fire disaster. They apparently had a piped gas supply which was considered unsafe and, being increasingly run down, they were not popular to live in. They have rehoused the remaining residents and the tower blocks are being demolished mechanically rather than by a controlled explosion, probably because of the location on the hillside above the canal. Ugly as they were, I might miss them a little.
Not one of Architecture's greatest achievements, but they must have meant "home" to lots of people.
ReplyDeleteNowadays the steel reinforced concrete is carefully scrunched up, separated and sold on for re-use as concrete mix. The steel rods are sent to the smelter. Nothing is wasted. The Caterpillar tracked machines have special hydraulic fittings to break up solid concrete floors. The site is returned as clean, bare earth.
ReplyDeleteHopefully they build some affordable housing to replace them.
ReplyDeleteAmazing to see huge buildings disappear.
ReplyDeleteLandscape change is interesting to witness. I hope whatever the build there, it blends in with the landscape.
ReplyDeleteSounds like it's probably a good thing the flats are gone.
ReplyDeleteIt's surprising that one can miss what might have otherwise been an eyesore.
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