JOURNAL readers have shared their reactions to the news that homes on Edward Henry Street will be demolished and replaced by family homes.

The project, costing £3.89million will see 33 of the existing flats be demolished on the street which was sketched by the artist, LS Lowry, in 1929.

In their place, 13 three-bedroom affordable family homes will be built.

Opinions were divided among readers as to what they thought of the development, with some arguing it is a positive move, and others bemoaning the loss of part of Rhyl’s history.

David Donovan said: “Another part of Rhyl's Victorian past being demolished.”

Andreas Ap Harri added: “It needed to be felled. I remember in the 1970s and 80s what it was like.

“Sometimes we need to move on and evolve, and I will always stand up for my home town.”

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Marti Anderson-Bryan wrote: “Regenerating these houses using a scheme similar to the £1 houses in Liverpool would have saved these buildings and those in Aquarium Street, given locals affordable homes, potentially put Rhyl in the media in a good light and wouldn’t have cost Denbighshire as much as they are now spending to demolish and rebuild. Such a shame.”

Diane Owen said: “My father and his friends owned number nine at one time. A lovely flatlet house in a lovely street.

“This could have been converted. Why are the lovely streets and buildings of Rhyl being destroyed?”

Dave Marks added: “Nobody cared about it before so why would they now?

“In an ideal world there would have been some kind of commemorative stone, statue or something, like the Beatles stone in the High Street.”

Tina Thorn wrote: “Why did they not just do the homes up? They would have had people in them by now.

“Instead, we lost a lot of homes, and now, all we have is building sites – (it) looks awful.”

Earlier this week, another resident also told the Journal: “I think it’s a shame that Rhyl is losing more historic buildings.

“After losing the pavilion, the beautiful Queen’s Buildings, theatres, the Royal Floral Hall and the pier, history is being lost, sadly.”

This project is a partnership between ClwydAlyn Housing Association, Denbighshire County Council, Welsh Government and NWPS Construction.

The new homes are part of the Targeted Regeneration Investment Programme (TRIP) Scheme for the redevelopment of the west end of Rhyl.

Of the new homes, five of them fall into the conservation area which will see the reconstruction of the facades to look the same as the existing properties in order to preserve the area’s rich heritage.

The expected completion date for the project is the summer of 2023.

Cllr Rhys Thomas, lead member for housing and communities at Denbighshire County Council, added: “It is great to see the start of work on these new homes at Edward Henry Street as the Rhyl regeneration work continues.

“The council is proud to support this project that will provide modern much needed carbon friendly properties to families.

“These homes will also have great energy efficiency in times of rising fuel costs.

“I would like to thank everyone who has worked hard to move this fantastic housing project forward.”

This scheme is part of ClwydAlyn's development programme to deliver further 1,500 new homes in North Wales by 2025 at an investment of £250m, bringing the total number of homes in management to more than 7,500.