Having already spent upwards of £15 million attempting to refurbish the Maydew House tower block, Southward Council in London has given the go ahead for the block to be demolished.
The council had previously wanted to refurbish the 26-storey Bermondsey block – spending £15 million on works and plans – only to scrap the project in February.
Residents were forced to move out from the 144-apartment building in 2015 so works could begin.
The refurbishment aimed to address damp, structural movements, cracks, asbestos and bad heating – and add five floors containing 24 flats.
Meanwhile, Abbeyfield Estate residents lived on what they described as a “building site” for nearly a decade.
But in February, having already invested heavily in the project, housing cabinet member Cllr Darren Merrill said rising construction costs meant the project would cost a total £69,644,677. This was considered too big an increase on an estimate, made in 2019, of just over £42.1 million.
Coming at the end of a year in which demolition has been widely vilified and refurbishment lauded, this decision comes as a welcome victory for good sense and for demolition.
Although no plans for new homes on the site post-demolition have been officially confirmed, new council housing is expected. “The demolition of Maydew House is necessary to deliver new homes on the site,” a council report said.
Erith Contractors Ltd will carry out the demolition, scheduled to begin in April 2024 and last 55 weeks.
