What Walker residents need to know ahead of Hexham House controlled explosion
Residents living in the exclusion zone around the Hexham House blast site have been warned to leave their properties, move pets and not to watch from their gardens.
The controlled explosion of Hexham House in Walker is scheduled to take place at 11am on Saturday, November 30. Ahead of the explosion, residents living within the exclusion zone are being reminded they must leave their properties by 10.30am.
Newcastle City Council bosses have warned residents they must give themselves enough time to be out of the zone by 10.30am not just leave their property. Anyone who refuses to leave their property is being advised it is at their own risk and the council will not be responsible for their safety.
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If anyone is struggling to leave their property, they are advised to contact the council in advance or speak to a council officer on their street that day.
People cannot watch the demolition from their gardens and will be asked to leave, if they refuse the police may move them on. Drones will be flying about and will be able to spot anyone watching from their garden.
The council cannot give an exact time residents can return but people are being warned it could be up to four hours. The council will update social media and council officers working in community centres will update residents.
St Anthony’s of Padua Community Hall and Wor Hoose Community Project will be open for residents from 9am until 4pm on the day of the demolition. Light refreshments including tea, coffee, soft drinks and snacks to be available in both community centres.
Council bosses "highly recommend" anyone living in the exclusion zone move their pets, including those who usually live outside, indoors. Washing should also be brought inside and cars moved outside the exclusion zone.
Hexham House will be demolished using a controlled explosion. When the building is blown down there will be some noise and dust. The council says it is taking steps to reduce the amount of dust but, as with any building works, it is not possible to remove this completely. The level of the noise and dust could also be affected by the weather on the day.
For people who want to watch the explosion, in a first for Newcastle it will be live streamed as the 15-storey building is brought to the ground.
Originally completed in 1968, the 43 metre high building will be the first in the city demolished in a controlled explosion since Sir Bobby Robson pressed the button on the old Newcastle Breweries building in 2008. This time a team of three youngsters from Walker will get the demolition under way after entering a competition to win this once in a lifetime opportunity.
The controlled explosion is scheduled to take place between 11am and 11.15am. The clean-up of the site after the explosion is expected to take several months.
The link to the live stream will be shared on the council’s social media.