Arson-hit Moldgreen flats to be demolished

Jun 17 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

EMPTY houses which have been repeatedly targeted by arsonists will be torn down.

The Cabinet decided to demolish the houses on Poplar Street and Gelder Terrace in Moldgreen.

The boarded-up properties off Wakefield Road have been used by drug addicts and vandalised since they were abandoned last year. Firefighters have been called to the area 12 times in a month.

The Cabinet agreed to tear down the 60 flats and six houses at a cost of £150,000.

This will allow Yorkshire Housing to build 35 two-bedroom houses for rent in their place.

Work is expected to start on the new housing in the autumn.

Council leader Clr Mehboob Khan welcomed the decision.

The Greenhead Labour man said: “The demolition of those houses will be very good as it will remove an eyesore and allow for affordable housing to be built.”

Cabinet member for regeneration Clr Christine Stanfield agreed.

The Lindley Lib Dem said: “Having door-knocked on these terraces for many years, I’m delighted to see them go. They are long past their sell-by-date and something more appropriate will replace them.”

On June 6 the Examiner reported that firefighters had been called to the area 12 times in the previous month to deal with fires which had been started deliberately.

On June 2 part of a roof collapsed on firefighters while they were dealing with a blaze at the site.

The council decided to demolish the flats to prevent a fatal injury.