As the North East of England goes through another regeneration process, compulsory purchase orders (CPO’s) are being made upon residents, forcing them to sell their homes for less than they are worth. During the Thatcher years a housing sell-off gave the opportunity of home ownership by granting tenants of council houses a statutory right to buy, with discounts beyond their wildest dreams. 1.6m council properties became private homes. These houses, now out of fashion and on prime real estate are being eyed for higher value regeneration. These proud home owners are left with their spruced up houses isolated and often attached to derelict and dilapidated shells; their once busy estates demolished around them. These images explore several of the areas where CPO’s have been placed, area’s promised redevelopment, only for the market to collapse leaving liminal spaces. Vast areas currently have no function; shadows of their previous form evident on closer examination, their future uncertain.
As the North East of England goes through another regeneration process, compulsory purchase orders (CPO’s) are being made upon residents, forcing them to sell their homes for less than they are worth. During the Thatcher years a housing sell-off gave the opportunity of home ownership by granting tenants of council houses a statutory right to buy, with discounts beyond their wildest dreams. 1.6m council properties became private homes. These houses, now out of fashion and on prime real estate are being eyed for higher value regeneration. These proud home owners are left with their spruced up houses isolated and often attached to derelict and dilapidated shells; their once busy estates demolished around them.
These images explore several of the areas where CPO’s have been placed, area’s promised redevelopment, only for the market to collapse leaving liminal spaces. Vast areas currently have no function; shadows of their previous form evident on closer examination, their future uncertain.