Demolition of Brierfield flats would be ‘disaster’

LEADING councillor Pauline McCormick has described plans to demolish O’Hagan Court in Brierfield as “a disaster for the people of this constituency”.

At a full meeting of Pendle Council, she called on the council to write to Housing Pendle to ask them to drop the demolition plans and refurbish the flats for the elderly instead.

In the leader of the council’s question time, she asked Coun. Mike Blomeley: “Will the leader agree with me that the decision taken by Housing Pendle to close and demolish the community care facility of O’Hagan Court is a disaster for the people of this constituency and will very much impact on the residents of Brierfield and Reedley?

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“The community will have nowhere to go in this area when they reach an age where they have to leave their own homes.”
And she added: “The Courts of Earby and Barnoldswick have the same problems as O’Hagan Court - size of flats, position, parking, shopping - but as usual have more money spent on them to the detriment of Brierfield.

“At the moment, they are fully occupied as O’Hagan would be if money promised four years ago to be allocated for new kitchens and bathrooms had been forthcoming.”

And she concluded: “I would therefore like to see a formal letter from the council to stop the closure with immediate effect and refurbish the court as promised. I feel this is a very, very bad decision.”

Coun. Blomeley said he had made strong representations to Housing Pendle on the issue and added: “The decision was very wrong.

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“It has let down the people who live in O’Hagan Court and the whole community.”

He agreed to send a letter to Housing Pendle.

Labour leader Coun. Mohammed Iqbal said: “Does the leader agree with me that members of this council on the Housing Pendle board should have stood up to this?”

But Coun. McCormick, who herself serves on the board, said: “I have always, always supported O’Hagan Court.”