Boot Estate, Norris Green

[Ross08]

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/taxipix/BOOT.jpg

This thread shows some photographs I've taken recently on the Boot estate. I'd heard about the situation there and had wanted to visit the estate for a while. What I saw shocked me, I honestly didn't know that people were living like this in Liverpool today.

Just to enlighten anybody who's not familiar with the area, the Boot estate in Norris Green was built in the 1920s and comprised around 2000 council houses. The majority of these properties were built of prefabricated reinforced concrete.

It wasn't long though until the houses started to develop structural problems, and in the end they were classed as 'defective dwellings'. A major programme of investment and modernisation started on the estate a decade ago; but that was as far as it got.

Many homes were demolished, but the project has never been seen through to completion. What we see now is people living between burnt out and partially demolished houses on an estate that is almost uninhabitable.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/taxipix/BOOT-JAN200928.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/taxipix/BOOT-JAN200929.jpg

I don't know the full story about the situation on the Boot estate (and I'm sure other members of the forum can add to this thread), but what I have seen there on the visits I've made over the last couple of weeks is very, very sad.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/taxipix/BOOT-JAN200913.jpg

The Boot estate is around 3 miles from Liverpool city centre; though it may as well be a million miles away from the modern, trendy apartments being built on the waterfront. It's an eerie, and in some ways, almost-forgotten area.

This is 21st century living in Liverpool...

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/taxipix/BOOT-JAN200911.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/taxipix/BOOT-JAN200915.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/taxipix/BOOT-JAN200918.jpg

[Stewy]

Some good pictures there. I hope some residents or former residents can come on with their views and experiences of living on the boot estate.

it would also be great if any members could come on with any photographs of the boot in previous years.

I'm sure that in this day and age, with the excellent and beautiful city centre, the leaders of the city council would love to deny all responsibility for this area that seems to have been lost in time...

[ItsaZappathing]

Brilliant pics Ross08.:handclap:
This is my neck of the woods. Sadly!!:PDT_Xtremez_42

[kevin]

What puzzles me is that I lived in exactly the same sort of house in Allerton, from 10 to 27 years old. I left in 1978 but was in the area last year; most of the houses are clearly the pride and joy of the residents and are well kept.

There may well be structural issues which have led to the condition of the Boot estate, but I'd say they were very much compounded by social issues.

[Samp]

What puzzles me is that I lived in exactly the same sort of house in Allerton, from 10 to 27 years old. I left in 1978 but was in the area last year; most of the houses are clearly the pride and joy of the residents and are well kept.

There may well be structural issues which have led to the condition of the Boot estate, but I'd say they were very much compounded by social issues.

You have hit the nail on the head there. Becouse they are council houses people think it is always down to the council for the upkeep.

I worked with a chap who lived in a council house, he left a small kitchen window broken for thirteen years before he would replace it himself.
I wander how much heat was lost over the years?

[Ross08]

I've spent quite a bit of time in Norris Green over the last fortnight, finding my way around. The houses there are generally good. There are many, many decent houses that people clearly take pride in.

I expect many residents of the area have lived there all their lives and have been there since long before the recent 'issues' were a problem.

By saying 'I wouldn't go to Norris Green' etc... people are writing off a large, thriving community of mainly decent, honest people.

From what I've seen, there is far more good than bad in the area.

[kevin]

I've spent quite a bit of time in Norris Green over the last fortnight, finding my way around. The houses there are generally good. There are many, many decent houses that people clearly take pride in.

I expect many residents of the area have lived there all their lives and have been there since long before the recent 'issues' were a problem.

By saying 'I wouldn't go to Norris Green' etc... people are writing off a large, thriving community of mainly decent, honest people.

From what I've seen, there is far more good than bad in the area.


True in oh so many areas. Unfortunately, mud always sticks (especially the Garston variety!)

[Paddy]

Did you drink in the Allerton Kevin ?

[edwardo]

Hello.would love to see a photo of Wandsworth road my mums house is still there I know 85.but the houses opersite where pull'd down.(pebble dash one had foults?)thanks for showing them.

[kevin]

Did you drink in the Allerton Kevin ?

Not once. My nearest pub was the Heath, on Heath Road, by I mostly drank in the Rose on Rose Lane, near to where most of my mates lived.

[ItsaZappathing]

Lets not forget the above pics are of a small area of Norris Green.There's a lot more like it. :PDT_Xtremez_42:

[Stewy]

Indeed that is true, this is by no means the extent of Norris Green...

EDWARDO... Might be able to help you on the Wandsworth Road photo appeal, leave it with me a day or two. As far as I am aware, somebody will no doubt correct me if I'm wrong, I believe a lot of the houses in Wandsworth have been demolished. I think I'm right in saying that almost the whole of one side has been demolished and some of them replaced with new housing...

[Ged]

Here is the council's take on what's happening.


http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Housing/Housing_improvement_and_repairs/Council_initiatives/Boot_Estate/index.asp?render=liquid




.

[Ernie]

I lived in Branthwaite crescent, I got out of that house 12 years ago on medical grounds. In the winter the bedroom windows were covered in ice on the inside, one gas fire, no central heating. It did`nt matter how good or what you payed for decorating, it always got ruined with the damp. That s not through neglect it was structual even the extention they built on was coming away inthe end. You cant blame tenants for that.

[Ged]

Some pics of the boot estate at the bottom of this page of my site:

http://inacityliving.piczo.com/?g=41897456&cr=7







.

[captain kong]

Those houses in the photos were made from prefabricated materials, a frame then concrete blocks then pebble dashed, a typical cheap way of construction, many Councils throughout the Country built them. the materials soon perished and caused a million problems , cracking, damp, cold and mold.
If they came up for sale the building societies didnt want to know, a Mortgage was almost impossible. The best thing for them is demolishion.

[edwardo]

Thanks stewy and ged.I know that the houses on the other side from mum have gone but as luck would have it her side (the odd numbers) are ok and people are still in them.the other side of the road have new private?houses.but i have not seen them.lewisham road is gone.porchester is gone.but are they going to keep the names and configeration with the old road.or not?...thanks for the offer of a photo I can wait.seeing it like that is depresing.living under tho's condisions must be very bad.its all ban news isn't it.

[ItsaZappathing]

If you go down Broad Lane,one side of the street is derelict and the other side is lived in. I asked a resident about this and was told that on one side the houses where built with with very low damp proofing. The other houses opposite where built by a different company who built the damp course a good height.
Cobalt Housing along with other housing projects have modernised and built some houses around Norris Green but then there's many areas nearby that are just forgotten about. :PDT_Xtremez_42:

[Ross08]

Photos from January 2009...

The old houses on the left hand side of Wandsworth Road (if you go down from Lorenzo Drive) and the new ones opposite:
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/taxipix/SDC10122.jpg

New houses just off Wandsworth:
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/taxipix/SDC10125.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/taxipix/SDC10123.jpg

And a close-up of what the new houses look like:
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/taxipix/SDC10126.jpg

[edwardo]

ROSS08.Sorry only just this min seen the photos.Thank you very much for them.edwardo.

[ItsaZappathing]

ROSS08.Sorry only just this min seen the photos.Thank you very much for them.edwardo.

Me too. A mate lives in Wandsworth in the old houses. He was chuffed when they built him a new brick wall.
Anyway good pics again Ross.:PDT11

[hmtmaj]

Zappa....

You going to start that N.G. website then ? :PDT11

Will start collecting some pics for you to add,

Mart

[Ron Ham]

I too have just seen the Norris Green pics ! Born & bred in Stalisfield from 1931-1957 , reminiscing with my older bro recently he commented that in general our neighbours were all good people with a communal spirit, not a bit like what has occurred recently with the moral decay that appears to have set in . Someone complained about dampness & ice on the inside of windows ! that was an improvement to the average slums that most of the original tenants came from & we were grateful for that & I for one bless the day my young parents left the city environs for what appeared to them as an outpost . Sadly as stated some builders cut corners but the original planners & desighners of the estate & the duplicate Dovecot/Huyton were men of vision & ability & should be immortalized . Ron

[ItsaZappathing]

Zappa....

You going to start that N.G. website then ? :PDT11

Will start collecting some pics for you to add,

Mart

Sounds like hard work but you know me..I'll have a go at anything:unibrow:

[Ged]

Ron. Sir Lancelot Keay was ahead of his time and it's sad there's nothing to commemorate him. Though a lot of what he designed and built remains to this day.

[Ged]

Sounds like hard work but you know me..I'll have a go at anything:unibrow:


Round your stray dogs up :shock::002:

[Billy D]

Norris Green

I lived in Wandsworth and Lorenzo Drive,,,

I go twice a week to see Me Mum,,,,Take her to Broady and the Asda,,,

Heres some pics,,,

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/Ronin2009/WandsworthRd-1-1.jpg

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/Ronin2009/WandsworthRd2-1-1.jpg

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/Ronin2009/NorrisGreenandCroxteth3-1-1.jpg

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/Ronin2009/ParkhurstRD-1-1.jpg

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/Ronin2009/Broadway-1-1.jpg

[ItsaZappathing]

Good pics Billy.:PDT11
I wonder why (second pic down) someone was left with a fence ?

[ItsaZappathing]

Round your stray dogs up :shock::002:

LMAO. Nah,just keep the squirrels,magpies and crack heads away:PDT_Piratz_26:

[edwardo]

Billy D nice photos.it seems all the odd numbers are ok(I Lived at 85 bottom of the rd in your photo)John peel a mate of mine lived near the top end (21)his sister maried the everton goal keeper 1950 something.thanks fror pics.Ted

[Billy D]

Good pics Billy.:PDT11
I wonder why (second pic down) someone was left with a fence ?


I think it' because its not rented,,,,

Bill

[Billy D]

Billy D nice photos.it seems all the odd numbers are ok(I Lived at 85 bottom of the rd in your photo)John peel a mate of mine lived near the top end (21)his sister maried the everton goal keeper 1950 something.thanks fror pics.Ted

I lived in 29 we moved there from Kirkdale about 1971,,,,,it was a real nic place at the time,,,,,

[Ross08]

ROSS08.Sorry only just this min seen the photos.Thank you very much for them.edwardo.

I've been away from the forum for a while, but I've just your post. I'll be taking some more photos around the area in the coming weeks, so look out.

[ItsaZappathing]

I've been away from the forum for a while, but I've just your post. I'll be taking some more photos around the area in the coming weeks, so look out.

Good to see you back Ross.
By the way...would you happen to have any old pics of Ellergreen upper or lower school?
Cheers:PDT11

[pablo42]

Jeez, I thought Boot Estate was a term for a bad place. Seems I wasn't too much off the mark. What has gone wrong in this place? It surely can't just be the drugs. Great pics by the way.