Garston News Views and Discussion

A.D.Williams · 10-10-2005

Originally Posted by kev

Under the bridge is slowly being flattened to allow for regeneration, but very slowly.

Very slowly - picture of Saunby Street.

A.D.Williams · 10-10-2005

And a picture looking down King Street towards the village.

**Kev** · 10-10-2005

The sooner theyre down the better Dave

**jimmy** · 10-11-2005

Nice photoes Dave, my Dad grew up in Saunby street, what will replace them,more houses?

**Max** · 10-11-2005

Originally Posted by kev

The sooner theyre down the better Dave

Hope the pub stays though!

**Kev** · 10-13-2005

Developers have finally lodged plans to demolish 500 crumbling terraces in Garston's Under The Bridge estate and replace them.

The £50m project will build more than 300 properties, more than one-third to be rented from a housing association.

Some of the estate is boarded up and bulldozers have already started pulling down century-old terraces.

Building work should begin on the first homes in January if Liverpool council approves the plan. (Who knows what will happen there *Rolls eyes)

Steve Collins, director of property at South Liverpool Housing, said the aim was to completely transform Garston Under The Bridge.

"This area has a combination of problems. It consists of very unpopular two-up, two-down terraces with no gardens, so the housing market has collapsed.

"There are also problems with anti-social behaviour, while residents feel these homes are not suitable for 21st-century living.

"However, the community wants to stay together so there will be no large-scale movement.

"There will be phased building programme, so homes will first be built for people living there for them to move into.

"A considerable amount of demolition is going on and we hope to start digging the first foundations in January."

The area to be demolished is bounded by Banks Road, Window Lane, Vulcan Street and King Street - known as the Ship Streets and the Raglan estate - plus a neighbouring site on Church Road.

The new estate will have more than 280 two-bedroomed bungalows and three to four-bedroom family homes, and 26 flats.

South Liverpool Housing will also set up jobs and training for residents on the back of the building programme.

Garston councillor Paula Keaveney, who lives in the Under The Bridge estate, said: "We are hoping for some lovely new houses and a chance for people who have had to move out to come back.

"There has always been a strong community spirit, but the deterioration in housing and anti-social behaviour have chipped away at it.

"As people start moving out and demolition takes place, we are concerned that the estate will start feeling more unsafe, so we must work with the police to make sure that does not happen."

nick.coligan@liverpool.com

**Kev** · 10-13-2005

Read: Council joins in Bankfield battle

**Kev** · 10-15-2005

Police divers were searching the River Mersey on Saturday after reports that a car had plunged into the water.

Underwater search teams were called to Garston Docks early in the morning after someone working at the docks alerted the police.

The force was told a red-coloured car was seen plunging into the river at about 0830 BST.

Diving teams were carrying out an extensive search of the area to see if they could find the vehicle.

Source

A.D.Williams · 10-15-2005

Wonder if they found anything?!

**Kev** · 10-15-2005

Don't know but I di see the hekylopter at 9am over the scene

A.D.Williams · 10-15-2005

Might find out in the Echo or Post on Monday.

**Max** · 10-16-2005

Wonder what made it plunge in the water?

Possible suicide?

**Paul D** · 10-16-2005

The car was empty and was probably dumped there by car theives,it's a pity they wasn't in it.

**Kev** · 10-16-2005

Originally Posted by Paul D

The car was empty and was probably dumped there by car theives,it's a pity they wasn't in it.

Oh dear, what a pitty

**Kev** · 10-18-2005

LIVERPOOL celebrities are the latest supporters trying to save a threatened community centre in Garston. Les Dennis, who was born in the area, heads the group of stars campaigning to stop the bulldozers demolishing Bankfield House.

Actresses Pauline Daniels and Margi Clark, crooner Neville Skelly, writer John Forde and poet Dave Kirby are performing at a fundraising night.

Other invitations have been sent to Gerry Marsden, Ricky Tomlinson, newsreader Peter Sissons, sports commentator Alan Parry, John Aldridge and John Parrott.

Bankfield House is facing closure after Church of England leaders decided it was unsafe.

Campaigners have been staging a round-the-clock sit-in for the past five weeks to try to save it from the axe.

Garston councillors have recently joined their cause and will present a motion to Liverpool council tomorrow.

Tomorrow's evening of entertainment at the Woodcutter Social Club has been organised as a thank you by LA Productions who are shooting a film near Window Lane.

Karim's Story is based on a Pakistani family from Bradford and a scene for the Channel 4 film will take place in Garston.

The film company contacted the celebrities who were keen to raise money for the threatened centre.

Campaigner Terry Dooley said: "With so much opposition against shutting Bankfield, I can't see how the church can go ahead." Nikki Bonner, from LA Productions, said: "Les Dennis is a Mudman, he's from Under The Bridge. It's great that he's not forgotten his roots."

The event starts at 7.30pm and tickets are selling fast.