Demolition of 'eyesore' hotel delayed
LDRSThe demolition of an "eyesore" hotel has been delayed due to anti-social behaviour and flooding, a council has said.
Work to bulldoze the former Golden Eagle Hotel in Thornaby began in August and it was expected to be cleared in the spring due to significant levels of asbestos.
However, Stockton Council said attacks of vandalism, arson, theft and incidents of flooding have caused a water leak and asbestos to spread.
The hotel, which has been derelict for many years, will now take 62 weeks to knock down, rather than 36, and cost a further £600,000 on top of a projected cost of £1.52m, council officers said.
Its completion date has been pushed back until August.
Labour councillor Richard Eglington, cabinet member for regeneration and housing, previously described the building as being "an eyesore for a number of years and a barrier for future investment".
A financial report, set to go before cabinet next Thursday, said criminal damage had occurred in the period between asbestos surveys and work commencing on the seven-storey building in Trenchard Avenue.
Stockton Borough CouncilMaterials have been taken from the building and spates of arson attacks and flooding have caused the spread of "hazardous materials throughout all levels of the building," the report said.
It said despite the council securing the site and installing signs warning of asbestos, people still managed to get inside.
When the demolition work started, more break-ins were discovered which caused a water leak with significant damage, vandalism and further spread of asbestos, the report said.
This contaminated the entire building, furniture and furnishings, with all items being classed as hazardous waste, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The council said "more onerous" work needed to be done by contractor MGL to take out the asbestos, and another £600,000 was needed to cover labour, equipment, materials and other costs.
Demolition works are part of plans paid for by the Labour-led council's £23.9m town improvement fund.
The extra money is expected to come from £735,000 underspends in cycleways and housing improvements in other Thornaby Town Deal schemes.
The cabinet will be asked to approve the funding next week.
