A LUXURY home in Malvern, which is one of several to have been boarded up due to safety concerns, is to be demolished only ten years since it was built – the Observer can reveal.
Demolition work to remove No 1 Hillside Close on Old Wyche Road is scheduled to start on June 13 to give the housing development a new lease of life following months of turmoil and uncertainty.
The development of five semi-detached homes was built in 2006 but are currently laying empty after rocks from the cliffs above fell onto the homes causing a huge safety risk.
This led to owners of the homes to be evacuated from their properties and they were moved to temporary accommodation until the problem was fixed.
But now another developer firm called Malvern Hills Property Limited wishes to demolish one of the homes which they claim would allow the development to thrive once again in safer surroundings.
The firm have said the home would NOT be rebuilt and the demolition would be done by hand because it is attached to another home which was being kept along with three others.
A planning document by the firm reads: “The proposal involves the demolition of No 1 to provide access for specialist plant and equipment to access the upper quarry face where the rock fall originated from and enable removal of any potentially loose rock which may be remaining.
“This property will not be rebuilt and the existing party wall between No 1 and No 2 will become an external gable wall. This will be improved to comply with the Building Regulations and finished in white render on completion to match the existing walls of the development.”
But this latest chapter of the housing development has angered Malvern resident Phillip Kedward who used to live on Old Wyche Road.
Mr Kedward, a keen and regular bird watcher, said he was very concerned about the the welfare of wildlife while the demolition work starts.
“It appears that this expensive project has been an unmitigated disaster,” he said.
“The houses have had to be vacated and families rehoused costing a small fortune. The rock face has been judged unsafe putting into jeopardy the whole site, which is now boarded up.
“The demolition will inevitably cause huge disturbance to the surrounding area including wildlife precious to the Hills.
“Malvern is known by lots of people for its beauty and nature and I think its a disgrace that wildlife will be lost because of this demolition.”
Malvern Hills Properties Limited say they plan for noise and vibrations to be controlled during the demolition works.
