Tenant refuses to leave Rochdale estate slated for demolition

A lone tenant is refusing to move from a deserted corner of a doomed council estate which is earmarked for demolition.

Andy Roche, 51, is the last person living in Zedburgh, one of seven 1960s apartment blocks facing the wrecking ball at the Lower Falinge estate in Rochdale, Gtr Manchester.

Six of those seven blocks are already completely empty, leaving his one-bed flat as the sole occupied home among 126 properties earmarked for demolition.

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) wants to flatten them and build up to 270 new homes.

Andy, who is unemployed, and has lived in the flat for 28 years, said: "We don't want to leave this area - it's where I've lived all my life since leaving my parents' home."

He insists he still loves living there despite the deserted walkways and plywood-covered windows around him.

For Andy, the appeal is the green space, lack of traffic and familiarity of a home he has known for nearly three decades.

He said: "There's never any trouble - and we like all of the green space."

He pays £95 a week for the flat.

Andy lives there with his partner, and both are autistic.

He said: "Because we're both autistic, we have very specific needs when it comes to things like noise, smells and lights.

"We've given RBH a list of our housing needs - but they seem to be ignoring it."

He said suggested alternatives included one property next to a pub and another near a metalworks.

Work on Lower Falinge began in early 1968, with its deck-access blocks completed in stages into the early 1970s.

Today, Zedburgh is surrounded by six empty blocks - Ollerton, Newstead, Romsey, Quinton, Ullesthorpe and Vaynor.

There are 126 homes across the seven blocks, leaving Andy's as the only occupied flat.

Across the communal grassland, once-busy homes stand lifeless behind plywood.

Andy said it has created an "eerie" atmosphere, adding: "We feel isolated. We worry about people breaking in when we're out of the flat."

He said people have begun hanging around the deserted estate since residents moved out and suspects some may be dealing drugs.

With nobody heating neighbouring flats, his home is also colder and more expensive to keep warm.

Andy said: "When I hear someone outside, I think - have they come with machines to knock us down?

"When I hear the letterbox, my heart sinks because I think there’s going to be a letter saying that they’re taking us to court.

"This has been going on for so long that I've almost forgotten what it was like to live here before."

The pair were served with a notice seeking possession in January.

Andy said: "It's so distressing - I can't understate that. It's almost a matter of life and death with how distressing it is."

The latest plans come less than a year after campaigners successfully challenged an earlier bid to demolish six blocks.

RBH sought prior approval, but residents took the decision to judicial review and won.

The housing association has now returned with a wider proposal which also puts Zedburgh in the firing line.

RBH says the blocks are at the end of their life and no longer provide safe, warm homes.

But Andy has questioned why other blocks from the same era have instead been refurbished to tackle damp and mould.

Regeneration began in 2012 and RBH says three completed phases have delivered 100 new homes.

The result is a stark split between modern housing and boarded-up blocks waiting for the bulldozers.

In 2016, then-prime minister David Cameron referred to Lower Falinge as a "sink estate".

RBH has not published a specific price tag for this phase.

But in January it secured £55m in new bank funding to invest in existing homes and support regeneration projects across Rochdale.

The plans also promise improved public spaces and better walking and cycling links with the town centre.

Elsewhere, several blocks not earmarked for demolition remain occupied.

Mum-of-six Gemma Lucas, 32, has spent three years in temporary accommodation there while waiting for a permanent council house.

She said: "We're in a housing crisis - but those blocks are just sitting there empty waiting to get knocked down. Why can’t people move into them?"

RBH intends to submit an outline application for the plans to Rochdale Council.

If approved, a further detailed application would still be needed before demolition or building work could begin.

A spokesperson for RBH said: "We understand this is a very difficult situation for the customers involved, and we have been and will continue to work with them and their representatives to support them with finding a new home that meets their needs.

"The regeneration of Lower Falinge has been in progress over several years, in consultation with residents throughout.

"The seven blocks identified for demolition have been empty for several years and have reached the end of their life and can no longer provide the safe, warm homes our customers want and need to life healthy lives.

"We remain absolutely committed to supporting the one remaining household to move into suitable alternative accommodation.

"Since June 2025, we have made five offers of new homes, including properties within Lower Falinge and nearby.

"We will continue to provide tailored practical and financial support throughout the move alongside our partners."