High Rise Living

**Ross08** · 11-19-2009

This is a subject that's been very well covered by some of the Yo! Liverpool members, but I thought I'd start a thread just for images / stories of tower blocks.

Three of the tower blocks in Moreton, Wirral (1964/5) are about to be demolished and so I've started to photograph them. I will of course take more photos as the demolition gets underway...

The three blocks are on Stavordale Road and are called Melrose, Thornridge and Sandbourne.

... and here are a couple of Mill View, Toxteth (1967) from today:-

**Oudeis** · 11-19-2009

"As soon as your born they make you live tall." ?

Nice pics Ross, any chance of views from the tops? As such views may be lost.

**Waterways** · 11-19-2009

Mill View was built in 1967. It is dreary and needs make-over now. From the Wirral it is a very prominent building. Why are the blocks in Moreton being demolished? They look good to me. Once these blocks are vacated, the whole areas lose vibrancy. They become soulless.

**pablo42** · 11-19-2009

My sister used to live there and they were alright. For the last few years they have been putting young sngle people in them and they rapidly went down hill. The Police are never away from the place. It's a shame. They knocked Ford Towers down a few years back. I used to live there when I left the Army. They were even better. Ten they started putting problem families in them. The rest is history.

**Ged** · 11-19-2009

You can bet your life that if they were all glass with a curve at the top and a cocierge at the foot, they'd be all the rage and going for a pretty penny too.

**pablo42** · 11-20-2009

Originally Posted by Ged

You can bet your life that if they were all glass with a curve at the top and a cocierge at the foot, they'd be all the rage and going for a pretty penny too.

It's a shame cos there's nowt wrong with high rise living. It's the people they put in them. The two in New Brighton are private and are lovely inside. That's what they can be. Liscard House in Liscard is very successful too as they only put pensioners in there. They have bingo nights and regular trips away.

**Ross08** · 11-20-2009

Originally Posted by pablo42

It's a shame cos there's nowt wrong with high rise living. It's the people they put in them. The two in New Brighton are private and are lovely inside. That's what they can be. Liscard House in Liscard is very successful too as they only put pensioners in there. They have bingo nights and regular trips away.

That's absolutely right... I think the story's the same with Sunningdale in Moreton. This is the one block that is to remain, and as far as I know it houses just pensioners.

**pablo42** · 11-20-2009

Originally Posted by Ross08

That's absolutely right... I think the story's the same with Sunningdale in Moreton. This is the one block that is to remain, and as far as I know it houses just pensioners.

I think that's the one by the shops. They changed the names of them a while back and I don't recognise the names. It's a shame they pull these places down yet leave the worst ones up. The high rises in Woodchurch were always pretty grim, yet most of them are still up.

**Ross08** · 11-20-2009

Originally Posted by pablo42

I think that's the one by the shops. They changed the names of them a while back and I don't recognise the names. It's a shame they pull these places down yet leave the worst ones up. The high rises in Woodchurch were always pretty grim, yet most of them are still up.

Yes... Sunningdale is the block by the shops and the pub (now the Sandbrook, but still known locally as the Clipper). I think the original names of the flats were along the lines of Fender, Hillview and Millhay - I'll find out for definite.

**Ross08** · 11-20-2009

Not excactly high-rise, though it should have been a 14-story development of luxury apartments.
It's now around two years since work stopped on the construction of the Columbus Quay development.

Work halted back in November 2007 (so the recession can't be blamed) - supposedly due to design problems, but it's never resumed. The site is between the Jaguar garage and the Chung Ku restaurant at Sefton Street.

**pablo42** · 11-20-2009

Originally Posted by Ross08

Yes... Sunningdale is the block by the shops and the pub (now the Sandbrook, but still known locally as the Clipper). I think the original names of the flats were along the lines of Fender, Hillview and Millhay - I'll find out for definite.

Yes, that sounds familiar. Never knew the Clipper had changed it's name neither.

**Waterways** · 11-20-2009

Originally Posted by Ged

You can bet your life that if they were all glass with a curve at the top and a cocierge at the foot, they'd be all the rage and going for a pretty penny too.

Yep.They should have sold them onto a private company. Blocks in the middle of council estates are not in demand though. Blocks in good locations private companies buy up.

**Ross08** · 11-26-2009

Some photographs from Stockbridge Village (Cantril farm) - taken November 2009.

I believe there were originally nine tower blocks on the estate, three of them having now been demolished.
The remaining blocks are Mosscraig, Firscraig, Whincraig, Merecliff, Tarncliff and Denecliff.
Can anyone tell me what the other blocks were called?

**pablo42** · 11-26-2009

great pictures Ross. Can't help with the names though. I never knew there were so many there.

**Ross08** · 11-26-2009

Originally Posted by pablo42

great pictures Ross. Can't help with the names though. I never knew there were so many there.

Pablo - I'm from your neck of the woods, I grew up in Liscard and I now live in Moreton.
Yesterday was the first time I'd been to 'Canny Farm', I knew of the flats though because I see them when I come into Liverpool from Chester on the M57 most nights.

A great place for anybody like myself who is interested in social housing and large estates.