Plans to develop a selection of new affordable homes in Wigan have moved a step closer to becoming reality, after a former school in a prominent site off Moore Street was bulldozed to make way for the new residential properties.
The former Whelley School, which closed in 1998, has been used as an office block in more recent years, most notoriously as Poll Tax House, with the railed playground as a car park.
But with all the staff having now moved to other offices, the red brick building was surplus to requirements and ready to be demolished, to make way for much required new affordable homes in Wigan.
The Council and Wigan and Leigh Housing are working in partnership to develop 28 affordable homes on the site.
The scheme will feature a mixture of two- and three-bedroomed houses and two-bedroom apartments available to rent to the over-50s.
A spokesman for the council said: "The full demolition of the former Council Tax House building is due to be completed in May, and construction of the new homes will begin in summer and with completion expected in November 2014."