New homes to be built at site of the Irlam gas explosion

City West Housing Trust has submitted a planning application to rebuild five homes demolished by the Merlin Road gas explosion in Salford.

The five new properties will replace those most seriously damaged by the explosion on 2 November 2010, which were subsequently demolished.

Work is expected to get underway in September this year.

The value of the scheme is likely to be in the region of £600,000, funded by both City West’s insurers and the private owners’ insurers.

Colette McKune, director of asset management, said: "Only eight months on we are delighted to be submitting a planning application to rebuild these homes to an extremely high standard.

“It’s important that the people affected and those that live in the area can return to normal as quickly as possible. Since the incident we have worked closely with the families affected and supported them through the process of moving out and settling into their new or temporary accommodation.

“Now that the repairs have been completed to all of the other properties, rebuilding the homes that were demolished is the final phase of the repair work to Merlin Road. I am looking forward to seeing these homes built and customers settled back into them.

“We remain grateful to all those who were involved in supporting those affected at the time and are working with Salford City Council to plan a thank you event in September which we hope will coincide with the start of the new building works"