Day 160, housing upgrades

In September 1994 Sheffield City Council tendered for refurbishment work to be done as part of the North West Inner City Action Plan. This work was to improve the three remaining tower blocks in Upperthorpe that had not been refurbished.  These were the two blocks at the top of Martin Street and the one block on Oxford Street.

There had been much heated discussion and debate about the delay in the refurbishment of these blocks as the bottom four had already been finished.  The Lib Dem council at the time didn't want to do all seven blocks at once for some reason.  This resulted in two separate tender processes and a lot of duplicated work and additional expense.  There was never an adequate explanation given for this.

Here's the view down Martin Street from the Oxford block as work is commencing.  It is just possible to make out the pairs of pylon type structures attached to each side of the block straight ahead.  This is where the cradle the width of the block was attached.

The balconies on the blocks were enclosed as part of the work.  The image below shows how the waste disposal chute on the balcony was boxed in behind a further door. 

The view towards Brook Hill, the Arts Tower and the yet to be refurbished blocks on Brightmore Drive. 

By the time the Brightmore Drive blocks were refurbished there was a shortage of money available and so corners were cut, the improvements were not done to as high a standard.  The kitchens weren't refitted and the small square window next to the balcony (visible in the top picture) was filled in.

Heating for the Martin Street and Oxford blocks was provided by a purpose built, district heating system.  The heating building can be seen between the blocks near the bottom of The Ponderosa.  As the heating system wasn't run by any of the profiteering private energy companies the cost to residents was (and still is) very reasonable - although given the amount of insulation the buildings have there is hardly any need for heating other than for the hot tap.

*Heating update 27-03-2015.  It has been drawn to my attention that the district heating is now being set at the same rate for all 'community' heating across the city.  The new rate is

Usage / Unit Charge	3.38 pence per kWh
Weekly Standing  Charge	£4 per week

which was confirmed in April 2014.