Bolsover District Council set to demolish 49 bungalows and possibly pave the way for new development

Bolsover District Council agreed at an Executive meeting on March 4 to award the contract for the demolition of the council-owned bungalows and ancillary buildings on Briar Close, Shirebrook, to the council-owned developers Dragonfly Development Limited.

Bolsover District Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Sandra Peake said, “We have been looking at the properties on Briar Close for some time now as they have reached the end of their habitable life, so we needed to demolish them.”

A council report stated the properties were deemed to be ‘beyond their habitual economic lives’ and the site is being considered for redevelopment by the council so the properties have been vacated and affected tenants have been rehoused and awarded with an agreed home loss payment.

Access at the site was considered unsuitable for the older tenants due to the excessive stepped approaches, according to the council, and the chalet-style bungalows were not thermally efficient creating heat loss, damp and mould issues.

The council also stated the properties lack private gardens or areas, and they have ageing roofs, heating systems, kitchens and bathrooms which do not meet the necessary Decent Homes standards.

A council spokesperson stated that to leave the buildings empty would most likely attract anti-social behaviour as well as incur costs to the council in terms of council tax payments for the vacant bungalows but following demolition there is potential for the re-development of the site.

Planning permission has been obtained for the demolition and the council has agreed a budget of up to £265,000 to have the site cleared with the removal of any asbestos, as well as the removal of gas and electric meters with a service disconnection.

The council report stated the site is now vacant and the next step is to demolish the buildings to avoid the council’s Housing Revenue Account having to cover the cost of the empty property council tax liability and to avoid attracting any anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

Cllr Peake added: “Looking after our older generation and providing them with good quality homes is a top priority for us, that’s why we have relocated the existing tenants and taken this decision so we can evaluate what to do next with the site.”

Over the past two years the council says it has invested heavily in housing in the town including the refurbishment and extension of the Independent Living Centre Ashbourne Court, the construction of 28 new bungalows on and around Market Close, and with the installation of external wall insulation to council properties.

The council confirmed the demolition work at Briar Close will be undertaken by the authority’s wholly-owned company Dragonfly Development Ltd, which is based at the same offices as the council at The Arc, on High Street, Clowne, at a cost of up to £265,000.

Bolsover District Council has also spent £76,000 on resurfacing a car park in Shirebrook as part of its continued plans to invest in communities.

The car park on Ashbourne Street has been resurfaced in two phases with the Station Road area resurfaced at a cost of £32,000 and the Portland Road side has been completed at a cost of £44,000.

Bolsover District Council owns and manages 37 car parks across the district, all of which are free to use.

The Ashbourne Street car park is the second largest in the district and provides space for 81 vehicles to park, including four disabled bays, giving people easy access to the town centre and its shops.

Council Leader, Cllr Steve Fritchley, said: “Unlike the majority of local authorities, our car parks are free to use and we believe that if we continue to look after them and invest in our towns and villages then it will help attract more visitors to the area, ultimately befitting our local economy.”

The council which has a rolling programme of car park maintenance, is responsible for maintaining its car parks and has no responsibility for highways, including potholes and gritting, which falls under the remit of Derbyshire County Council.