Councillors quiz Gentoo housing boss over plans to demolish city centre tower blocks and rehouse residents

Housing association Gentoo recently confirmed its decision to bulldoze Lambton, Londonderry and Lumley Towers in Sunderland's East End to avoid large repair costs.

Although the housing association had considered "strengthening works" at the cost of around "£15 million per building", along with additional "planned investment and fire safety improvements" costing £5 million, it opted for demolition instead at a cost of "£2.6 million per tower block".

According to Gentoo's website, residents affected by the proposed demolition are expected to "receive a statutory home loss payment of £8,100 at the time of moving" and if they chose to stay with Gentoo, would receive funds "to help make [their] new property feel like home."

Gentoo noted structural investigations started on the '3Ls' back in November, 2023, and that the decision to demolish the buildings was made in August, 2025.

The decision followed consultation with affected residents and work is ongoing to support tenants into alternative homes, with the housing association setting up a customer portal to provide information on plans for the tower blocks.

The process for rehousing residents is expected to take years, although individual housing needs assessments are expected to be completed by October, 2025, to inform the process.

A Gentoo representative was quizzed on the matter during Monday's (September 8, 2025) East Sunderland Area Committee, which is made up of councillors from the Millfield, St Michael's, Hendon, Ryhope and Doxford wards.

Steven Gordon, neighbourhood operations manager at Gentoo, told councillors at City Hall there were around 158 customers living in the tower block buildings, with a large majority contacted as part of the consultation.

The Gentoo chief said a dedicated staff team were linked to the site "visiting every customer to establish what their future housing needs are and the support they will need going forward", with an aim of "moving our customers in a way that's causing as little stress as possible".

Councillors heard there was a "low percentage" of people aged over 70 living across the three tower blocks, and that more than 60 per cent were over the age of 50, with all three tower blocks having a "similar age profile".

Mr Gordon added "customers overall were happy with the decision" to demolish the buildings and said Gentoo was supporting customers with several elements of moving, from council tax and reregistering with health services, to packing services and more.

Several councillors on the East Sunderland Area Committee questioned the Gentoo boss on how the demolition and rehousing scheme would impact access to social housing in the city centre, as well as what plans were in place for the future of the site post-demolition.

Councillor Helen Glancy, Ryhope ward member, asked specifically about the rehousing process and whether affected Gentoo customers were likely to be rehoused in the same area, along with a question about wider impacts on lettings in the city.

The Gentoo chief, responding, said there had been housing needs assessments with almost half of affected customers so far and that there were a range of areas requested, with several customers still wanting to live in the East End, Central and Hendon areas, as well as customers asking for multi-storey style accommodation, and some customers asking for houses or bungalows.

It was confirmed that a number of properties had been "held back over the last six to eight months", particularly in the Central and Hendon areas, linked to the project for the three tower blocks.

While noting this decision would "take a decent section" of properties needed, Mr Gordon confirmed the tower block demolitions would still "impact the housing waiting list".

In response to a question around how housing would be prioritised as the tower block customers are relocated, the Gentoo chief said rehousing was a "lengthy process" and would take several years.

He also confirmed that from a "banding perspective" within Gentoo's policies, residents having their house demolished would receive "Band One Plus" and would "supersede" bands below this.

Councillor Andrew Wood, Millfield ward member, quizzed the Gentoo chief on what would happen next once the tower blocks are demolished and residents have moved out, and what Gentoo's plan was around replacing the housing stock lost.

"Is that land going to be rebuilt on, are we going to get three new towers that are more fit for purpose or is that land sold off and will become something else", he said.

Mr Gordon, responding, said there had been "no decision made on the [tower blocks] land at the moment and that it was way too early to decide that" but noted there were other Gentoo houses being built on sites around the city, including at Chester Gate in Pennywell.

Councillor Michael Dixon, St Michael's ward member, asked when a decision on the future of the tower blocks site would be made, and was told "Gentoo's focus at the moment is on the customers in there".

However, councillors heard Gentoo was looking at "potential new build sites" across Wearside, including in Hendon, and "understood the pressures of customers and the people in Sunderland for housing that's affordable."

Councillor Niall Hodson, Millfield ward councillor, also raised concerns about a potential "shortfall in social housing" from the demolition of the tower blocks and asked whether Gentoo had plans in coming years, as part of the resettlement scheme, to "acquire or build new social housing."

Mr Gordon, responding, said the building of social housing, including at Chester Gate, was under way and agreed to provide a detailed breakdown to a future meeting of the East Sunderland Area Committee to inform councillors further.

More information about plans for Lambton, Londonderry and Lumley Towers can be found via Gentoo's website: www.gentoogroup.com/the-3ls-customer-portal