DEMOLITION work has started on two high-rise buildings in the region.
A crane was spotted in Thornaby yesterday as work started on the demolition of Anson House.
The decades-old apartment block is being knocked down to make way for new housing.
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Neighbouring Hudson House is also due to be demolished, though work is yet to start.
Housing group Thirteen decided to demolish the high-rises because it said the cost of maintaining them was “unsustainable”.
A spokesperson for Thirteen said: “The first building to be demolished will be Anson House, followed by Hudson House next door. Following preliminary work to soft strip the fixtures and fittings from the buildings, a high reaching machine has now arrived on site to start the next step in the demolition. This will reduce the height of the building to four to five storeys, at which point a smaller excavator will clear the site.
“The blocks are being demolished to make way for 37 new homes, ranging from two-, three- and four-bedroom houses and two-bedroom bungalows.
“All homes will be for affordable rent, and we’re looking forward to working with Homes England, Stockton Council and other partners to deliver these fantastic new homes in the heart of the town, contributing to the revival of Thornaby.
“Following the announcement to demolish the blocks back in 2018, our dedicated relocation team worked really closely with residents to ensure they all found suitable new homes.”
Thirteen has planning permission for a new housing scheme on the site, which will include 37 bungalows and homes in a range of two to four bedroom layouts.
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Stockton South Conservative MP Matt Vickers added: "Delighted to see the cranes moving in to demolish Anson House today. The skyline of Thornaby which has been dominated by these decrepit towers is about to change forever to make way for some top notch, modern housing which will spruce up Thornaby town centre.
"There is still a lot of work to do and we're working hard to make sure the Golden Eagle is next, but it's great to see change afoot and I'm looking forward to seeing the site once it's completed."
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