Crowhall Towers |
| Hob Uid: 1497917 | |
Location :
Gateshead
Non Civil Parish
|
| Grid Ref : NZ2765961607 |
| Summary : A mixed development of tower blocks with deck access built as public housing using the Larson-Neilson industrialised building system. The development comprised one sixteen-storey block and six seven-storey blocks of maisonettes. Construction of the blocks was approved by committee in 1966. Four of the maisonette blocks were destroyed in 1987 amidst great controversy due to their deterioration and unpopularity. The consulting architect and engineer for the six seven-storey blocks, known as St Oswald's Court, was John Poulson. |
More information : The blocks were constructed by Felling Urban District Council. The Primary and Alternate addresses are the individual addresses of the remaining tower blocks; all are current and of equal status. The Alternate name was the name given to the contract for the development. The six seven-storey blocks formerly known as St Oswald's Court consisted of 185 dwellings. The sixteen-storey block, Crowhall towers, consists of 88 dwellings. (1)
Demolition of 4 of 6 of the seven-storey blocks occurred in conjunction with the more high profile demolition of four tower blocks on the Nursery Farm estate also in Felling. The consulting architect and engineer for all of these blocks was John Poulson. John Poulson was jailed for 7 years in 1974 for running corrupt building contracts. (2)
Building Design reported in 1984 that Councillor Ken Buckingham threatened court action against Gateshead Council on the grounds that insufficient information was released regarding the real cost of demolition and rebuilding of the Poulson developments. The debt incurred as a result of the tower blocks, which had been opposed by Buckingham and other councillors were thought to amount to approximately £50 million and would take up to 50 years to pay off. (3)
Additional source consulted. (4)
|