THE demolition of three huge tower blocks on the outskirts of Bradford city centre is on track, social housing provider Incommunities has said.

Work began shortly before Christmas to demolish the high-rise flats, which are being replaced by more than 100 affordable houses.

It included a huge specialist crane being brought onto site to help tear down the imposing towers to make way for a more modern development.

Two of the five blocks on the first site have already been demolished with work starting on the third now, which should be reduced to rubble in the next few days, Incommunities said.

Work will then begin to demolish the adjacent ‘Y’ shaped blocks, with demolition due to be completed by the end of the Spring.

A spokesperson for Incommunities, Bradford’s biggest social housing provider, said: “Demolition work is progressing well on the Court blocks with Windsor and Tudor Courts now completed.

“Work to demolish Stuart Court is due to be completed in the next few days.

“Excavators will then start to take down Hapsburg and Bolingbroke Courts.

“Work is due to start later this month on demolishing the three ‘Y’ blocks nearby - Ashton House, Osmond House and Taunton House.

“This will involve removing the interior materials followed by demolishing the main structures.

“We expect all eight blocks to be fully demolished by May 2021.

“All the debris and materials from the demolitions are being recycled and turned into hardcore for roads and construction use.”

Local demolition experts Thomas Crompton have been carrying out the demolition work at the sight.

It is the latest in line of prominent demolitions which have permanently changed Bradford city centre’s skyline following the demolition of Jacob’s Well in 2019.

The rubble from Jacob’s Well was used in the major works on Wakefield Road to fill in a roundabout at the Neville Road junction and replace it with traffic lights, and the remnants of these tower blocks will have a similar future use.

A 140 tonne high reach machine, measuring 62 metres in height and one of only three in the country, was brought in in December to help with the demolition, along with two other 80 tonne machines.

Once the work is completed, construction can begin on a new housing estate providing more than 100 affordable family homes to the area, which Incommunities say will “better suit the housing needs of the area”.