Newburn landslide - who's responsible?

Residents on a Tyneside housing estate which will be partially demolished are no nearer finding out who is responsible for what's happened.

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Newburn building demolition to start next week

Building damaged in Newburn when a culvert collapsed

Work to dismantle the building in Newcastle which was left on the brink of collapse when a culvert collapsed in heavy rain is due to start on Tuesday 23 October.

Insurers have given the go ahead to start demolition work the at Spencer Court in Newburn, which is expected to take two weeks.

Difficult work to stabilise landslide flats

Geoff Woodcock from the builder of the flats, Dunelm Homes describes how they are using large rocks to stabilise the site, prevent more erosion, and provide a firm platform for equipment to demolish Spencer Court.

The decision to demolish Spencer Court was taken after the foundation of the flats was washed away following a landslide during the major flooding on September 25th.

A culvert which runs under the land collapsed earlier in the year. Engineers believe that this, together with the heavy rain, caused the landside which left so many residents homeless.

Demolition fears dismissed by council

Work has started to prepare for the demolition of Spencer Court Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

Newcastle City Council have dismissed as "pure speculation" rumours that more blocks of flats will have to be demolished at Newburn near Newcastle.

Spencer Court, the block of flats which had its foundations washed away by a landslide on September 25th, is due to be demolished next week.

Fifty other homes had to be evacuated as a safety precaution, and there have been fears that they too would have to be pulled down. But the council said today that there are no plans yet to demolish two blocks which it owns - Hareside Walk and Hareside Close. There are 18 flats in the two blocks.

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Dunelm Homes takes over Newburn demolition

A block of flats on the verge of collapse after flooding will bedemolished next week.Developers, Dunelm Homes, will co-ordinate the demolition at SpencerCourt, in Newburn.

It says what happened was not the company's responsibility, but it hasbeen offering legal and insurance advice to families affected atSpencer Court and neighbouring Mill Vale. Hundreds of tonnes of stonewill be used to fill a hole created by flood-water so that demolitionmachinery can operate on it.

Dunelm Homes "has full planning approval for Newburn flats"

Dunelm homes said it had full planning and technical approval for the whole of the Newburn flats site. The company said an agreement was signed in 2008 that committed Newcastle City Council to adopt the roads and the culvert which flooded, subject to construction standards being met.

It said the roads and culvert were due to be adopted subject to final inspections by the Council in summer 2012. But Dunelm said the process had been suspended and responsibility for both the roads and culvert at Spencer Court and Millvale remain in its hands.

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