Initial Demolition Notice (IDN) at Townhill Park

The purpose of the initial demolition notice is to formally advise tenants of the Council’s intentions. It also suspends any Right to Buy 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.

If you have already applied for the Right to Buy (RTB), your application will be suspended whilst the Council 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. You can still make a RTB application when an Initial Demolition Notice is in effect on your home, but the sale process will be suspended until either a Final Demolition Notice has been served or the Initial Demolition Notice has lapsed.

The Council needs to issue the Initial Demolition Notice to allow the regeneration scheme to progress. The scheme proposes the building of replacement homes, together with associated estate improvements.

As there will be no gap in between the current IDN and the new IDN which is due to be served there will be no tenants who have been able to exercise a valid claim to purchase their property and therefore at the current time there is no compensation payable. As stated above an application for RTB will be suspended by the service of an IDN.

You can make a new RTB application, but the Council cannot complete the sale while an initial demolition notice is in force. However, if the Council serves a final demolition notice, any existing Right to Buy claims are ended and no new applications can be made.

The Initial Demolition Notice is more about alerting tenants to the suspension of the Right to Buy 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 the Council has a clear programme and timetable for the scheme and it is known that the property will be demolished within 2 years.

An Initial Demolition Notice does not affect your rights and responsibilities as laid out in the tenancy agreement, other than the ‘Right to Buy’. A Right to Buy (RTB) application can be made but these applications will not be completed while the Initial Demolition Notice is in for

Council tenants will be able to bid for a new property, according to their needs, using Homebid. As long as the new tenanted home is a ‘general needs’ property then your Right to Buy continues. Please note some homes, such as supported/sheltered accommodation, are exempt from the Right to Buy.

If the Council decides not to demolish the property, 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 you may exercise your Right to Buy.

The decommissioning programme is on the council’s website. Before you have to move you and each resident of your block will receive a letter informing you that the decommissioning of your block will begin in 28 days. Secure tenants will be contacted by the Resident Liaison Officer and an appointment arranged to discuss your moving requirements.

• Secure tenants: secure tenants will have the support of a dedicated Resident Liaison Officer who will help you through the whole process of preparing, finding and moving to a new home
• Temporary tenants: temporary tenants are supported by the Council’s Home Seekers Lettings Team. This team will work with you to find you a new home
• Leaseholders: The Council estate valuers will visit and prepare a valuation of your home. You will need to employ professional advisers to act on your behalf. If you have tenants you should discuss the situation with them, as the Council will only purchase your property if vacant
• Leaseholder tenants: leaseholder tenants should discuss the need to move with their landlord. The Council does not provide direct support for leaseholder’s tenants but does have a webpage with useful information.