New flats for tower blocks
Eleven condemned tower blocks in Sandwell have been saved from demolition and will now be expanded in a bid to tackle soaring demand for council housing.
Housing chiefs are proposing to borrow £10.7 million and will build new flats in disused basements of the blocks to get as many people as possible off the 8,000-strong waiting list.
The blocks saved from the axe are Kynaston House, Heronville House, Greenford House, Kenrick House, Mountford House, Wyndmill Crescent and Beaconview Road in West Bromwich, Nelson House in Princes End, Paget House and Wyrley House, Sedgley Road East, Tipton and Russell House in Holyhead Road, Wednesbury.
In a report seen by the Express & Star, Peter John, the council's director of partnerships and housing, said: "It became apparent that demand for social housing in the borough was increasing and that it would prove impractical to demolish the blocks earmarked for clearance.
"Instead it was decided that they should be retained and improved to give a nominal 10-year life."
Councillor Mahboob Hussain, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: "Tower blocks were not popular buildings and we decided long ago not to include them in our work towards the Decent Homes standard.
"There was a strong possibility they would have been knocked down.
"However because of the demand for social housing we are borrowing £11 million.
"Instead of demolishing them we will now invest."
The money for the work will be borrowed over 25 years and rent from the 10 new flats will bring in £726,000 a year.
