Inside the eerie ghost estate where every one of its 38 homes lies empty as they await demolition

The 38 one-bed houses connected Highfield Close successful Stretford were built successful 1947 and were location to a close-knit assemblage of pensioners - but present the property has been near wholly abandoned

An abandoned property where erstwhile a close-knit radical of locals called location present has overgrown gardens, heaps of rubbish successful the streets and boarded-up windows.

Built-in 1947, the 38 one-bed houses connected this cul-de-sac disconnected Chester Road, Stretford, Greater Manchester, were erstwhile the pridefulness of a tight-knit assemblage of pensioners. But astir 8 years ago, whispers began their then-landlord Trafford Housing Trust intended to demolish astir fractional a twelve homes. The reality, which emerged later, was adjacent grimmer arsenic each the bungalows were slated for demolition.

The spot cited the bungalows' determination connected a 'high risk' flood plain and operation issues starring to 'severe damp and mould problems'. Their program was to relocate tenants and erect 'new high-quality homes'.

Among the residents who erstwhile called it location was Michael Keogh. The 81-year-old, who was 1 of the past to leave, told Manchester Evening News: "Look astatine it now, it's desolate. It's precise sad.

"When I archetypal moved I thought it had existent potential, the backmost plot was incredible. There were tons of trees and views implicit the fields. I spent rather a batch of wealth gathering a small courtyard and planting, truthful I had a bully spot to beryllium out. It was specified a bully community.

"The gates went first, past it was the pb flashing. It was atrocious capable erstwhile they ripped retired the beforehand doors and backmost doors, but past they got ransacked again and again. I was lucky, I conscionable moved circular the corner, but a batch ended up successful Davyhulme oregon Urmston."

The property which was his location for a 4th of a period has turned into a shade town. Over the past months, the bungalows person been a premier people for vandals and metallic thieves. Mr Keogh says racist and far-right graffiti has marred immoderate of the buildings.

The bungalows are scheduled for demolition, with a motion connected a lamp station indicating that the enactment should person been completed by August 1. In the interim, a caravan has appeared by the roadside, the existent abode of a antheral named Corbyn and his dog.

After moving onto the thoroughfare successful February owed to the unaffordability of rent astatine a supported accommodation artifact nearby, 1 nonmigratory is voicing discontent implicit demolition plans, saying, "It's an insult erstwhile you person truthful galore radical waiting for housing," He laments the situation, adding, "It each boils down to the information we person privatised lodging - we've privatised everything."

Graeme Scott, representing Trafford Housing Trust successful 2022, expressed intentions to "continue to connection prime homes of prime to conscionable the lodging standards of the aboriginal and that assistance to tackle the lodging crisis."

However, the spot has since been absorbed by East London's LandQ, with Ben Townsend from LandQ successful the North West saying: "We inactive program to demolish the bungalows arsenic per our antecedently submitted proposals, but unluckily it has taken longer than we expected to disconnect each the utilities.

"As soon arsenic this enactment has been completed we volition advancement our plans to hoard disconnected the tract and demolish the properties. We are considering a scope of options for the aboriginal of the tract pursuing demolition, and volition consult with section residents and stakeholders erstwhile we person clearer plans."

"We are keen to enactment ongoing regeneration successful Stretford and to enactment intimately with Trafford council. Tackling the lodging situation is cardinal to LandQ, and we purpose to make much and amended homes that volition amended residents' lives."