Local companies giving homes a new lease of life
4 February 2008
Victorian terrace properties around Rochdale are being given a new lease of life thanks to the Oldham Rochdale Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder and Rochdale Council.
And local companies are carrying out the improvement work to more than 80 homes in Milkstone, Deeplish, Wardleworth and Hamer.
Jackson, Jackson & Sons and Greenwoods have undertaken the work, which has involved rebuilding garden walls, restoring stonework and erecting handsome steel railings.
Cabinet Member for Housing, Coun. Zulfiqar Ali said, “Refurbishing these properties provides a new lease of life for people’s homes, keeping them warm, dry, safe and secure. Improving the external appearance brightens the neighbourhood as a whole and we have focussed on properties on some of the major routes into Rochdale that pass through the neighbourhood.”
“I would like to thank residents for their patience and co-operation as the work has been carried out.”
Years of grime have been removed from the nineteenth-century brickwork, walls have been repointed and new fascia and soffits installed. Some houses have also had new windows installed to replace rotten frames. Drainpipes and gutters have been renewed, using low maintenance materials that are sympathetic to the historic buildings.
Chris Green of Jackson, Jackson & Sons explained, “It’s been a really interesting project. We’ve been very focussed on customer care, working closely with local residents to carry out the works with the minimum of disruption.”
John Greenwood, Managing Director of Greenwoods added, “The investment in East Central Rochdale means we are now beginning to see a real improvement in the building fabric of the area. It is extremely satisfying to feel that you are playing a part in revitalizing a whole community.”
Refurbishing homes is an important part of the strategy of the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder in Rochdale and Oldham. Housing Market Renewal aims to improve the prosperity of Rochdale neighbourhoods through a package of initiatives including building new homes, refurbishments and environmental improvements. Since 2004 more than 150 properties have been refurbished across Rochdale.
Photo caption Councillor Zulfiqar Ali meets Tony Crook and John Breivogel at work on some of the Yorkshire Street homes.