Speke District

**Ged** · 06-01-2007

Here we go again with me and my districts. Chris, isn't the Ford Factory supposed to be officially in Halewood though. Would you say Speke is the other side of the boulevard? or is that a bit black and white...?

**ChrisGeorge** · 06-01-2007

Originally Posted by Ged

Here we go again with me and my districts. Chris, isn't the Ford Factory supposed to be officially in Halewood though. Would you say Speke is the other side of the boulevard? or is that a bit black and white...?

Aye you might be right, Ged. No argument from me.

Chris

**Kev** · 06-01-2007

Weird init? Yet the Speke Retail Park is on the same side as Fords, these ruddy boundaries

**Max** · 06-01-2007

Is one of George Harrison's In Speke on those council houses?

No other type of Council houses In Speke from what I can find.

**Max** · 06-01-2007

Originally Posted by Kev

Weird init? Yet the Speke Retail Park is on the same side as Fords, these ruddy boundaries

Same side but the retail park Is at least a mile away and closer to Hunts Cross than Halewood.

**taffy** · 06-01-2007

Originally Posted by ChrisGeorge

Hi Max

I was around in the Sixties when the Old Hutte, the remains of a medieval moated manorhouse of the Ireland family, was swept away to make room for the Ford factory. I agree that the Speke housing estate is soulless and characterless.

Chris

I quite like Speke as an example of urban planning. Much more spacious and better laid out than say the contemporary houses of Childwall. I suspect the Speke houses were built to a higher standard than the ones built by private speculators who built what is modern day Childwall.

**SteH** · 06-01-2007

Originally Posted by taffy

I quite like Speke as an example of urban planning. Much more spacious and better laid out than say the contemporary houses of Childwall. I suspect the Speke houses were built to a higher standard than the ones built by private speculators who built what is modern day Childwall.

Yeah some of the new stuff going up looks like it'll blow down in a high wind. The 1930s council built stuff may be crumbling down due to lack of maintenance over the years but they were certainly solid when they went up.

**taffy** · 06-01-2007

Originally Posted by SteH

Yeah some of the new stuff going up looks like it'll blow down in a high wind. The 1930s council built stuff may be crumbling down due to lack of maintenance over the years but they were certainly solid when they went up.

Aren't South Liverpool Housing refurbishing Speke properties, new roof, windows, kitchen , central heating etc.

**ChrisGeorge** · 06-01-2007

Originally Posted by taffy

I quite like Speke as an example of urban planning. Much more spacious and better laid out than say the contemporary houses of Childwall. I suspect the Speke houses were built to a higher standard than the ones built by private speculators who built what is modern day Childwall.

If the new housing going up in Liverpool is anything like some of what is being built here in the U.S., it may look solid on the outside but the inside is just plywood, drywall, etc., insubstantial stuff. What are the code requirements in Liverpool these days?

Chris

**SteH** · 06-02-2007

Originally Posted by taffy

Aren't South Liverpool Housing refurbishing Speke properties, new roof, windows, kitchen , central heating etc.

According to their website they completed a £100million programme in 2004. Sorry I meant many council houses in general are in need of major repair,not necessarily Speke where they went to SLH in 1999.

**taffy** · 06-02-2007

Originally Posted by ChrisGeorge

If the new housing going up in Liverpool is anything like some of what is being built here in the U.S., it may look solid on the outside but the inside is just plywood, drywall, etc., insubstantial stuff. What are the code requirements in Liverpool these days?

Chris

I've seen similar plywood inner walled buildings going up in the rear gardens of property Upper Parliament St, Princes Park, Toxteth. These are so called Mews property which front onto Upper Hampton St. They go for about £250,000 each. Not bad if you can get it.

One of the more frightening buildings I've seen is a 3 storey block of flats building on Smithdown Rd built of timber frame construction with a brick outer skin.

**ChrisGeorge** · 06-02-2007

Originally Posted by taffy

I've seen similar plywood inner walled buildings going up in the rear gardens of property Upper Parliament St, Princes Park, Toxteth. These are so called Mews property which front onto Upper Hampton St. They go for about £250,000 each. Not bad if you can get it.

One of the more frightening buildings I've seen is a 3 storey block of flats building on Smithdown Rd built of timber frame construction with a brick outer skin.

Aye, Taffy, that's exactly the sort of thing I am talking about. The buyers probably think they are getting a substantial building judging by the facing on the outside of the structure. But they might think twice if they saw what was inside those walls! Buyer beware.

Chris

**Jericho** · 06-02-2007

Many of the buildings in Hale were built using timber with daub infill and they have seen many generations of Liverpool buildings come and go and they are still standing!

Speke seems almost a tale of two halves - the success of the retail park, airport, estuary park, pharmaceutical plants, the new retail centre being built off Speke Boulevard anchored by Morrison's and the slow but steady development of the area between the retail park and the airport, and the Speke of burnt out shops (bottom of Western Avenue) and the mostly boarded up shops off South Parade. I have noticed the refurbishment taking place - well, what you can see as you drive along Speke Boulevard so maybe it's on the up. But I understand that it's one of the most deprived parts of the city with low home ownership, a high proportion of people of working age on benefits, and there's not much social mobility. People tend to stay there and at least until recently not many people from outside moved in. It's a good thing therefore that the houses are well built with decent guardens. I like the wide roads.

... and it's convenient for the airport ...

Come to think of it, one of my favourite walks in Liverpool is the walk down to Speke Hall when you get past the industrial bits. Especially when the Hall is closed. I like to watch reflections in the lake (ok, pond) and imagine the shore behind the Hall and a river without the eyesore of Stanlow.