Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) has announced plans to regenerate a housing site in the city to provide new sustainable, energy-efficient social homes fit for the future.
The Board of PCH has agreed to develop options to replace its 14-storey tall building Marlborough House in Devonport – which could involve another tall building created on the same site – with PCH investing c.£30million in a regeneration of the area.
The redevelopment of Marlborough House, which will not start for several years, means the current residents will need to move to new homes to enable the building to be demolished.
A team of up to 30 staff are on site at Marlborough House every day during the week of 16th September to meet residents in person and explain the news face-to-face, providing reassurance about the next steps and answering any questions.
The redevelopment is necessary as the current building, which is over 50 years old, poses a series of challenges to update and maintain in line with new and future Government regulation for tall buildings and social housing landlords.
PCH thoroughly reviewed all possible options for refurbishment but following numerous investigations and surveys carried out over many years, this was not found to be a viable way forward.
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. The building is unable to deliver Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) target ratings of C, which the Government has set out to be delivered by 2030.
In addition, it was also found that necessary works to meet all new and future building safety legislation would be more expensive to manage given the building’s design and structure - and substantially more disruptive for residents - than redeveloping the site and rebuilding new homes.
Residents would face having to move out temporarily for over a year whilst some works were underway, and it would not be possible to make the building fully energy efficient regardless of refurbishments, so redeveloping the site is a better option.
PCH tenants who are supported to move from Marlborough House would be offered the opportunity to return to a new home on the site once they are complete.
Plymouth Community Homes is Plymouth’s largest social housing landlord, with over 16,000 homes for more than 35,000 people.
Jonathan Cowie, Chief Executive of Plymouth Community Homes, said: “Redeveloping Marlborough House is not a decision we have taken lightly as we fully recognise the disruption and distress this could cause for residents and the local community, and the Board’s decision follows many years of thorough investigations to explore and evaluate options for possible refurbishment.
“It was clear that refurbishment would not be a viable way forward as it would cause substantial disruption for residents, who would have to move out temporarily for up to a year for works, and regardless of future investment in the building, structural challenges mean it could never be made more energy efficient to meet Government targets.
“We are instead moving forward with plans to redevelop the building and create energy-efficient homes within a sustainable new community fit for the future on this site. These new homes will meet future requirements, and provide comfortable, high-quality homes for people in housing need for years to come.”
There are 121 flats within Marlborough House, with 96 1-bedroom homes and 25 2-bedroom homes.
Of these, 110 are let for social rent. Eleven are privately owned by leaseholders, and seven of these leaseholder-owned properties are currently occupied.
Tenants of PCH will be supported to move to a new home with PCH staff helping them to bid on properties through Devon Home Choice with priority banding to support their applications.
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 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.
Social housing tenants who have to move from their homes will be entitled to a Home Loss payment, with this amount currently set by the Government at £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.
The process for moving residents is expected to take some time with no demolition due to take place until after 2026, and PCH staff are fully supporting both tenants and leasehold owners through this process.
Designs for a replacement building will be developed during this time, with PCH working with Plymouth City Council on future design options, and a full consultation with local residents, stakeholders and key partners will be undertaken in due course so people can help shape the future housing complex before plans are drawn up and submitted.
Phil Burgoyne, Head of Homes and Neighbourhoods at Plymouth Community Homes, said: “Our teams fully understand that residents of Marlborough House will have many questions and concerns at hearing this news but we are here to help, and will do everything we can to support residents through their next steps.
“Our experienced tenancy management team, including housing officers and leasehold officers, will be in the Community Room every day this week to talk through the news with residents face-to-face, answer any questions and provide support. We will help with Devon Home Choice applications to bid on a new home and explain how compensation will be available.
“We have supported residents to move home before through the hugely successful regeneration of North Prospect, and more recently when we announced plans to regenerate a sheltered housing scheme at Brake Farm, so we will be able to fully guide residents at Marlborough through every step so they can move to a new home which is right for them.”
PCH has a dedicated website page featuring answers to some FAQs about the redevelopment of Marlborough House here.
Any residents who have questions can contact PCH on 0808 230 6500 and they will be put through to a member of the tenancy management team who can support them.
