With memories of Woodside’s demolition still lingering in many minds, more Burngreave residents now face the same trauma. The Masterplan, agreed by Council Cabinet in May 2OO5, is now being implemented.
It includes the demolition of houses on Skinnerthorpe Road, Catherine Street, Brotherton Street and Earl Marshal flats. The Messenger visited some of those affected.
It’s worth more
Our first contact was Mr Shakeel Aziz, a young man who was born and brought up in the area. He and his family have been living at a threebedroom property on Brotherton Street, which his parents helped him to purchase over two years ago. Mr Aziz is very close to his family and is distraught at having to move away from his parents.
“I wouldn’t like to move out of Burngreave, I have lived here all my life and my family is here.”
He has only been offered around £60,000 for his house by the Council and will be expected to make up the difference to purchase the new home the Council is recommending.
“We’re not happy with what we have been offered. Our house has three bedrooms and a garden, its worth more than £90,000.”
A house for a house
Mohammed Shafiq, lives on Catherine Street with his aging mother. Mr Shafiq, who suffers ill-health is very concerned that he is now expected to find the additional money if he accepts the Council’s offer of £67,000.
“At 56, I cannot afford to borrow money for another house, how will I pay it back? I want a house for a house.”
Mr Shafiq has lived in Burngreave for over twenty years and feels at home in this community. He also fears racism and other ills, which his friends have suffered when they moved to other areas of the city.
Mr Shafiq is very worried about what the move will mean for his mother and what will happen to them as they are unable to borrow money to purchase another home.
Never leaving Burngreave
Mr Nagi, who is 79 years old, has lived in the Burngreave area for over thirteen years, in a private rented property on Catherine Street. Unlike other residents, he is quite happy to move because the Council has promised to help him by giving him a bit of money to decorate his new home and help him move. He says that if they keep their promise it will be all right, so long as he does not have to move out of the Burngreave area altogether.
“I would never leave Burngreave, you know everyone around here, its like a family.”
Mr Nagi says he has been advised to wait for the Council to give him priority on a choice of Council properties. His only concern is that they don’t give a property with a hidden passageway as he is afraid of being mugged.
by Sonia Bartley & Naheem Hanif
Earl Marshal flats
Evacuation of the Earl Marshal flats has already begun. When we arrived workmen were replacing old shutters with a new design on some of the empty properties. People had been breaking in and were making a trade from stealing boilers, pipes, radiators and fittings.
“They can screw the old ones off and get into the flats,” explained the worker, “These new ones are different.”
Too small for families
In Earl Marshal Drive a resident of over two years said he was happy to be moving as he would be prioritised for a new place.
“I think it’s a good idea to knock them down in order to rebuild better ones. These are one-bedroom flats and there have been families in them.They’re too small.”
The man said he would have moved already but was waiting for his family to join him from Eritrea. He could then bid for a Council house rather than a flat. Asked if he’d want to be rehoused in Burngreave, his eyes lit up. “Yes,” he said,
“My first choice is Burngreave.”
The man explained there had been problems with local youngsters at the flats, but it had not been so bad in recent months.
“They were getting into the block and hanging around smoking.The block has never been secure against kids. I’ve no idea how they’re getting in.”
As we left we could see that the security door was open on the empty flat opposite and on his way out was a blond-haired, scruffy boy of around 14. He said he’d been searching for a place for some homeless men he knew, before scampering down the stairwell and disappearing. It was obvious that children can get in and out when they want.
Another resident, Wayne Smith, accepted that the blocks were being knocked down adding,
“I’m a priority with the Council anyway and I’ll be moving soon. The only thing you hear is the mice moving in.”
In another block we found Mavis Sutherland, aged 61 who had been living in the Earl Marshal flats for over four years. Aware that the flats are being knocked down, Mavis believes there are still a few years left in them.
“I could do with a bit more time here,” she said, explaining that she hadn’t found anywhere else she liked yet. She definitely didn’t want to stay in Burngreave and wants to move to Firth Park. She didn’t seem familiar with the bidding system and was hoping that her Social worker would do the bidding for her.
Earl Marshal flats are being shuttered into a ghost town where only trouble, gangs and rodents can really breed.
by Rob Smith
If you are affected by demolition and you would like to tell us your story, please contact us on 242 0564.