Residents living near a football stadium have stated that they are “upset and uncertain” about plans to demolish their homes to build a new stand.
Blackpool FC intends to construct a new East stand in conjunction with a council proposal for area regeneration. If approved, approximately 25 homes on neighbouring Henry Street would be demolished. According to Blackpool Council, no tenants would be evicted and homeowners would receive market value for their homes.
Homeowner Damian Dinsmore stated that residents on Henry Street were dissatisfied with how the plan was handled. I’m very upset,” he said. All of my memories are stored here. My children have grown up in this house. It would have been preferable if the football club and the council had met with us to explain the situation.
Danielle Caton, who rented her home in the street for the last 17 years, said: “I first heard abut the plans six or seven months ago, not from the council but from my landlord.”
She added: “It’s worrying because we don’t have anywhere else to go.
“We don’t know when we will be given notice to leave – it’s very upsetting and very uncertain.”
“I am trying to find somewhere as quickly as we can,” said Ms Caton, whose son with learning difficulties attends a specialist school just under a mile away.
The scheme, which would also see the creation of community sports pitches, has been awarded £6.5m from a regeneration fund, the £39.5m Town Deal, allocated to Blackpool by the government.
Blackpool Council said: “Nobody will be asked to move out before Christmas and nobody will be made homeless by the scheme.
“The Revue Community Sports Village will help regenerate the local area around Henry Street by building sports pitches for Blackpool Football Club and its Community Trust, as well as development of a new East Stand.
“That means we are talking with the property owners on Henry Street about buying their homes and some owners have chosen to sell already.
“The offers made are based on independent property valuations.”
Tenants who need additional support are urged to contact the council for advice.
A planning application to build the stand has yet to go before the council and demolitions will only take place once the plan has been passed.
