Eyesore homes to be demolished

9:01pm Wednesday 6th February 2008

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EYESORE homes in a Burnley street - wrecked by major explosion nearly five years ago - are finally set to be bulldozed.

Councillors and residents have welcomed proposals to bulldoze 111 to 115 Marlborough Street, in Burnley Wood as part of regeneration efforts in the area.

The nearby Lambert Howarth mill site is being rejuvenated into industrial units and homes by Birmingham developer St Modwen.

And it was felt that the crumbling homes, left empty since a lock-up on the corner of Marlborough Street was engulfed by fire in May 2003, were out-of-keeping with the area's revamp.

Coun Martin Smith, executive member for regeneration and development said: "Not only do residents on Marlborough Street want this but our officers and developers have been working hard to improve the area.

"These properties have been empty for some time and this is essential for the redevelopment of the area."

Coun Jeff Sumner, who represents Rosehill with Burnley Wood ward, added: "I am looking forward to seeing these unsightly buildings removed as part of the area's redevelopment."

Their views, given at a meeting of Burnley council's executive board, were supported by people living in the local community.

Retired cleaner Jean Davis, 70, of Hollingreave Road, said: "They should have been knocked down years ago - the house on the corner used to be a lovely shop.

"But kids have got into these houses before now, and made them worse, and it's about time that they were demolished."

The corner shop property, latterly used as a furniture lock-up, was gutted by an explosion five years ago.

Neighbours and firefighters teamed up to save housebound pensioner Ethel Watson, then aged 78, from a next-door property.