A lookback: Building new futures on the Poets estate

The houses on the Poets estate in Swinton were once blighted by subsidence due to structural issues caused by historic mining.

In 2016, an ambitious development project by Salix Homes was given the green light. The affected houses would be knocked down and replaced with brand-new, modern homes.

The 160-house development is the first new build project by Salix Homes since they became a stand-alone registered housing provider in 2015.

Residents were involved in the development process from start to finish with the original tenants affected by the demolition proposals temporarily re-housed close by and given priority for moving back into the new properties.

One of these tenants was Lisa Warner, whose family moved to the Poets estate, also known as Beechfarm, in 2000.

“I was really excited to find out that we’d be getting one of the new houses. The old house was on a slope. When people would come around to visit, they’d feel seasick, it was that bad – though I was used to it, so it didn’t bother me at all. My dad could only stay for 30 minutes, it affected him that much.”

As the family watched their former house on Blantyre Street be knocked down, they spotted something familiar in the rubble.

“My daughter Natalie had these teddies since she was a baby. We’d realised that we’d left them in the loft when we moved out, so didn’t think we’d see them again. We asked the workmen if they could rescue them and they kindly saved them for us. The teddies are now safely back at home with my daughter.”

Lisa and her family were one of the first to move into the first 22 houses when they were completed in May 2018.

“Even though the houses are new, they’ve managed to keep that sense of community. Our neighbours are really lovely, we get on so well that it’s almost like we’ve been matched together.”

The first two phases of the £22million scheme, were delivered by Galliford Try Partnerships, with Rochdale-based Casey completing Phases Three and Four.

Jackson and Jackson are completing a £400,000 environmental project across the wider area.

Terry McBride, development manager at Salix Homes said: “Community has long been at the heart of Poet’s. The estate was crying out for investment and this new development has helped to breathe new life into the area.

“We’ve worked with our partners to create desirable and sustainable communities where people can be proud to live. We look forward to welcoming more families into their brand-new homes.”

Click here to read the original storyTeddy bear reunion for Poet’s family