Woodside estate has now been almost completely cleared. No decision about what will happen to the estate has been made yet.
The Masterplan suggests options with varying mixes of new housing; flats, family housing or a ‘hillside village’ as well as improvements to the open space, new workshops along Woodside Lane and the conversion of the old Pye Bank School to high-quality flats with shops and services opposite.
The demolition was speeded up by nearly £1 million of New Deal money, as well as funding from the Council and Housing Market Renewal Fund. Joice Richards, New Deal’s Housing and Environment Theme Manager, told us the New Deal’s contribution to the demolition costs gives them a ‘stake’ in the redevelopment of Woodside. This may mean the money is repaid if the land is sold, or land could be used to support community development. For instance the Masterplan quoted 80% private housing, 20% social, but the New Deal could use its stake to increase this percentage.
Any redevelopment would need a substantial investment, partly from the private sector and partly from public money such as the Housing Market Renewal fund. Some or all of the land may be sold to private developers. The New Deal say they hope a decision will be reached with the Council about the plans within the next six months.
The BCAF Buildings Group have been investigating other possibilities for Woodside.