York House: Update from Incommunities on future of site

Work to raze the York House site in Thorpe Edge, began in August this year.

In 2022, Incommunities announced plans to decommission the eight-storey building, and residents moved to other properties.

At the time, the social housing provider said it had seen a “decrease in interest from our customers in mid-rise flats, with homes in York House becoming harder to let, less desirable and more difficult to heat and maintain, which means they are no longer seen as aspirational or financially viable options for customers”.

This week, Margot Mangelmann, head of regeneration at Incommunities, provided an update on the progress of the site.

She said: “The demolition is expected to be completed by early November, with redevelopment plans taking more time to finalise.”

It came as primary school children from the area were given important safety lessons about the soon-to-be-empty site.

Pupils from Cavendish Primary and Co-op Academy Parkland were visited by representatives from Incommunities and Bradford-based demolition contractor Metropolitan Demolition.

York House when it was first built in the 1950s (Image: Newsquest) The experts shared vital information about the dangers of both active demolition sites and vacant areas that are awaiting redevelopment, urging children to stay away from these sites.

Debra Nixon, deputy headteacher at Cavendish Primary, said: “Many of our children have been closely watching the demolition of York House, and some of them even lived in the flats, so this visit was particularly meaningful for them.

“The safety message is crucial, as children can be drawn to construction sites without realising the risks.”

Gerard Jackson, director at Metropolitan Demolition, said the timing of the visit was crucial as Bonfire Night nears.

As the demolition got underway (Image: Newsquest) He said: “We emphasised to the children that even after demolition is complete, the site remains dangerous and the barriers around the site are there for their protection.”

Ms Mangelmann said Incommunities wants more opportunities to collaborate with the community and partners when development plans for the site are made.

“All the children had great ideas about York House’s future and their feedback is invaluable as we plan the next steps,” she said.

Charlotte Wierzbianski, headteacher of Co-op Academy Parkland, spoke of the deep connection between the local community and York House.

She said: “Many families in our school community have lived at York House for generations. The building holds a lot of history for them, so it’s wonderful that the community will be consulted on what comes next for the land.”