We have created this guide to try and answer some of the questions you may have about the future of Marlborough House.
What is happening to Marlborough House?
Marlborough House is going to be redeveloped.
The existing building will be demolished and a new complex built in its place. This could be another tall building, or a complex of homes in buildings of a different height, but that has not yet been decided on.
The current homes in the building will be replaced with new, energy efficient, sustainable homes.
This work will not start for several years, but it does mean that we will need to move existing residents to a new home before that time.
Can Marlborough House be refurbished instead?
We looked at the option of refurbishment, however the redevelopment is necessary as whilst Marlborough House remains safe for residents to live in now, it is not possible to bring the building up to the Government's required standards for energy efficiency in the future.
Following numerous investigations and surveys, it was also found that any potential works to meet all new and future social housing landlord regulations and comply with building safety legislation would be more expensive to manage - and more disruptive for residents - than redeveloping the site and rebuilding new homes.
Residents may have had to move out of their homes for more than a year for works to take place.
The building would also still be unable to deliver Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) target ratings of C, which the Government has set out to be delivered by 2030.
Because of this, we plan to redevelop Marlborough House, which will involve moving residents out of the building over the next few years in order to be able to start work on site.
Will this mean moving residents out?
As part of the redevelopment we will need to demolish the existing building, which will mean that we need to move residents out. We are committed to helping and supporting each resident to move to a new home.
How is PCH supporting residents?
We have dedicated and experienced staff able to help residents – including both social housing tenants and leasehold owners - through the whole process of securing and moving to their new home.
Staff will support tenants to register and bid for housing, and provide advice and practical assistance at all stages of the relocation process.
Our dedicated leasehold team will meet with the seven leaseholders in the building to help advise them on next steps.
We will help residents through the entire process to make it as easy as possible. From helping residents to find a new home, to helping with moving and getting settled in their new home.
We will be working closely with any other agencies, family or individuals that support current residents.
Where will people go?
PCH tenants will be supported to bid on properties through Devon Home Choice, if they wish to stay in the local area, and given a priority banding.
If residents wish to move further afield, we can also support with this too.
PCH tenants will also be given first refusal to move back to the redevelopment once the new homes have been completed.
PCH will buy-back leaseholder-owned properties at an agreed, independent valuation of market rate, and again occupants will be supported to move to a new home.
Those leaseholders who do not have capital, equity or savings of £16,000 or above after the buy-back can be supported to sign up for Devon Home Choice and apply for a social housing home.
How will you get a valuation for the leaseholders?
A RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) valuation is required. PCH will obtain an independent valuation - and leaseholders can also choose another valuer who is qualified and has knowledge of the local market. These valuations will then be used to provide an average valuation.
We will then work with our sales team to assist leaseholders with the next steps with buying back their home.
When do residents have to move?
There is no rush for residents to move but we are ready to help them move as soon as they want to.
There are a lot of residents in the building who will need to move, and we anticipate the process of moving everyone will take one to two years to complete so that we can help residents to find the right home.
In order to develop new sustainable homes for the future here, we will need to demolish Marlborough House. Demolition work is not expected to take place until after 2026.
Will residents be eligible for compensation?
Residents may be eligible for compensation.
We have created a Moving Home Policy and Decant Policy for residents at Marlborough House and you will find a link to these policies at the bottom of this page.
These policies explain the process of how we will help residents move, including the size and type of homes we can offer, how homes are allocated and moving time frames.
People required by their Housing Association landlords to move because their home is due to be demolished are entitled to a Home Loss payment amount set by Government, which we’ll also explain to them in person.
Currently this amount is £8,100.
Leasehold owners will be entitled to a Home Loss payment amount set by the Government, which is currently 10% of the open market value of their property.
All residents may also be entitled to a Disturbance Payment to cover reasonable costs of moving. This payment is a varying amount depending on the size of the property, and is made to help with realistically unavoidable costs incurred when moving home, such as packing or removal expenses.
The total amount is expected to be in excess of £3,000 depending on property size, with PCH either paying suppliers or reimbursing tenants for agreed costs incurred.
What type of homes will you be building? Can I have a say?
While we are still at the early stages of reviewing options for the site, we’ve consulted with architects and have drawn up some potential options to regenerate the area, which we’ll be sharing with residents to give them an idea of how the new homes could look.
But we are at an early stage and any designs or plans will not be prepared for some time yet.
We will be working closely with Plymouth City Council and with residents in the Devonport area to shape those plans.
There will be a full and thorough consultation process with local people before any plans are submitted, so people can review the options and feed into the design before any plans are submitted.
This will be in a year to 18 months' time, and we plan to consult fully with residents, stakeholders, local businesses and partner organisations on the future designs.
When will I know when I need to move?
Marlborough House will not be demolished before all residents and occupiers have moved out and reasonable advance notice will be given prior to this happening.
Why is Plymouth Community Homes serving an Initial Demolition Notice (IDN) published in the local newspaper?
The purpose of the initial demolition notice is to formally advise tenants of PCH’s intention to demolish Marlborough House.
PCH needs to issue the Initial Demolition Notice to allow redevelopment of the Marlborough House in due course. It also suspends any Right to Buy/Right to Acquire applications that have been submitted by qualifying tenants whilst proposals for regeneration are being considered, or progressed to the point where a Final Demolition Notice is served.
More FAQs about this notice and about Right to Buy/Right to Acquire
What if I have applied for the Right to Buy my home at Marlborough House?
If you have already applied for the Right to Buy (RTB)/Right to Acquire (RTA), your application will be suspended whilst PCH progresses its regeneration plans.
If at any point the plans change and your home is not to be demolished, a revocation notice will be served.
At this point, you could still complete your purchase.
What if I want to apply for the Right to Buy/Right to Acquire my home?
You can make a new RTB/RTA application, but PCH cannot progress your application while an initial demolition notice is in force. Your application will be suspended. However, if PCH serves a final demolition notice, any existing Right to Buy/Right to Acquire claims are ended and no new applications can be made.
How does an Initial Demolition Notice (IDN) affect me if I am a resident?
The Initial Demolition Notice is more about alerting residents to the suspension of the Right to Buy/Right to Acquire and does not mean that demolition is about to start.
Demolition can only start after planning permission has been granted AND after a Final Demolition Notice has been issued.
The Final Demolition Notice will only be issued once PCH has a clear timetable for Marlborough House regeneration.
An Initial Demolition Notice does not affect your rights and responsibilities as laid out in the tenancy agreement, other than the ‘Right to Buy’ & ‘Right to Acquire’.
A Right to Buy (RTB)/Right to Acquire (RTA) application can be made but these applications will not be completed while the Initial Demolition Notice is in force.
How is my Right to Buy/Right to Acquire affected by moving to another home?
PCH tenants will continue to be able to bid for a new property, according to their needs.
Tenants with an Assured Tenancy will be able to transfer their preserved Right to Buy with them if they stay with PCH as the landlord subject to the home they apply for, as some homes are exempt from RTB.
Tenants with an Assured Shorthold Tenancy will be able to transfer their Right to Acquire with them subject to the home they are applying for, as some homes are exempt.
PCH will advise you if the home you are bidding on is exempt from RTB/RTA.
What happens if PCH decides not to proceed with the demolition?
If PCH decides not to demolish Marlborough House, we will serve a revocation notice on each affected resident as soon as is reasonably practicable.
This means that we will withdraw the notice and residents may exercise the Right to Buy/Right to Acquire. If a resident has submitted an application for a Right to Buy/Right to Acquire before and after the initial demolition notice which has been suspended then the application will continue and the open market value of your home will be based on the date the application was received.
