Big evacuation for towers' end

Residents living close to Walter Robinson Court, Elizabeth Court and Churchill Court on Queens Park will be evacuated for three hours between 9am and noon on Sunday May 15 as demolition crews blow up the towers.

Forshaw Demolition, which is carrying out the controlled explosion, has now written to residents who live in an immediate exclusion zone to tell them they will be evacuated from 8.30am that morning.

They will be taken to designated support centres nearby where they will be entitled to a hot breakfast and refreshments before, during and after the demolition before they are allowed back to their homes.

A consultation day is being held by Forshaw on April 14 for anyone with any further questions.

The demolition itself is expected to take place between 10am and 11am, according to the letter, with the exclusion zone lifted between 11.30am and 12.30am.

In the letter, Andrew Forshaw, managing director of the company, said: “We understand that this is an inconvenience and we will make every effort to assist and support you before, during and after the demolition.”

The second phase of the Queens Park development will eventually see 81 houses and 18 flats built, to add to the 92 homes already in place from phase one of the £22m scheme.

A sum of £600,000 was also confirmed last month for new outdoor leisure facilities on the estate as phase two will see part of Layton recreation ground lost to make way for the new homes. It is expected to be completed by March 2018.

The final residents moved out of Walter Robinson Court in November last year.