Work to demolish buildings in the Spon End area of Coventry is progressing well with blocks being brought to the ground.
Housing association Citizen is working with The Hill Group to demolish Kerry House, Milestone House and Trafalgar House in Spon End. Coventry City Council, Homes England and West Midlands Combined Authority are key partners supporting the delivery of the project.
Demolition initially started last month, with work taking place inside the homes to remove all fixtures and fittings before a grabber is brought onto site to bring the buildings down bit by bit.
The demolition of the three blocks is a huge milestone in a major regeneration project for Citizen which will see more than 750 homes built across three phases.
In the first phase, 158 homes will be demolished, and, subject to planning permission, 261 affordable homes will be built in their place. Of these homes 209 will be social rent homes and 52 will be rent to buy homes which are initially let at an intermediate rent of 80% of the market rent and can be later purchased.
Director of Regeneration Services at Citizen, Kevin Roach, said: “It’s great to see the physical demolition of Kerry House, Milestone House and Trafalgar House underway at Spon End in Coventry.
“We have stripped the homes, which were built in the 1960s, of fixtures and fittings and the demolition of these will take place over the next few months.
“The regeneration of Spon End is a major project for us. It will see the area transformed by providing more energy-efficient affordable housing, increasing the area and quality of green open space and opening up the area of the River Sherbourne.
“We have put the community at the heart of this project and their priorities and feedback have influenced our plans for the area.
“Work on this site will continue over the next 10 years and we’re looking forward to starting building works on the first phase in Spring 2026.”
The three blocks which are being demolished have previously been used as part of various BBC productions including This Town, My Name is Leon and Phoenix Rise.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, commented: “We’re turbocharging housebuilding across the West Midlands but it’s all just bricks and mortar if we aren’t building homes that residents can afford.
“Thousands of families across the region are forced to live in poor quality, temporary accommodation because we simply aren’t building enough genuinely affordable homes.
“Spon End is an iconic site with a strong community spirit, but the housing is no longer fit for purpose. Citizen is transforming the estate with hundreds of modern, social and affordable homes, and I know the community spirit will grow stronger as a result.
“In my first 12 months in office, I’ve funded over 500 social homes. That’s more than we’ve ever funded before. But it’s going to take all of us working together to tackle this housing crisis. It’s going to take all of us to make sure everyone has a warm, safe place they can call home.”
Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said: “When I was here just last month the fittings were being removed from the properties, and we can now see that demolition work is well underway.
“There is no doubt that the redevelopment of the area will make a big difference to the local environment and deliver much needed better homes for people. That’s why it is such an important project that is only happening because of the commitment of a number of organisations working alongside local residents.”
Regional Managing Director at The Hill Group, Andy Fancy, added: “The demolition at Spon End is progressing well and the local community will soon begin to see a real transformation as the buildings are brought down to the ground.
“Successful regeneration is always rooted in strong collaboration and a shared commitment to positive change — and that’s exactly what we have here. Together, we are creating homes that respond to local needs and aspirations and we’re looking forward to continuing this journey and delivering a place the whole community can be proud of.”
Demolition works on the three blocks are due to be complete in early 2026, with plans to start building the new homes in Spring 2026. These homes, which will be one and two-bed flats, are due to be completed and handed over to customers late 2028.
