Clean Sweep Thai Delights

8 ISSUE EIGHT east Rising Aspirations Clean Sweep Co-op Memories Thai Delights ISSN 1745-8277 SPRING 2008 the magazine about regeneration in east manchester free Clean Sweep Once home to the boilermakers, steelworkers and engineers of east Manchester, these houses are no longer considered fit for the 21st century. Len Grant follows the fall and rise of Toxteth Street. Toxteth Street Of the seven houses on Norman Gurley’s By the end of the millennium, while other experienced the stretch of Toxteth Street only two are left parts of east Manchester were gearing up for spiral of decline occupied. The rest are boarded up, some with the XII Commonwealth Games, an increasing and deprivation signs declaring that ‘all material of any value number of empty properties were appearing on which has been removed’. Next door is optimistically Toxteth Street. Home owners were suffering characterised advertised as being for sale or rent but has negative equity and entrepreneurs looking for a many inner been empty for eight years and, like its vacant quick killing were buying houses cheap and letting them to tenants who had little cities: poor neighbours, is now uninhabitable. In the front room of his two-up two-down connection with or interest in the area. housing, problem 73-year-old Norman describes the new house Toxteth Street experienced the spiral of residents and he’ll move into before the end of the year, now decline and deprivation which characterised high levels of being built no more than 50 metres from his many inner cities: poor housing, problem anti-social back gate, as part of the Housing Market residents and high levels of anti-social behaviour. Renewal Programme which will see over 500 behaviour. terraced houses like his replaced by 430 new It was exactly this deprivation that led a homes in a phased programme of demolition group of young people from the Salvation Army and construction. to move to Openshaw in 2000 and live amongst “It’ll be two-bedroomed but with a garden the community. and somewhere to park the car,” he says. “Helping communities regenerate has been “There’s a space on the ground floor where I at the heart of what the Salvation Army is can install a lift, if I need it later.” On a plan of about,” explains Church and Project Leader, phase one he shows where his house will fit into Sam Ward. “We were looking for an estate that the bigger picture: “There’ll be a three- or needed help and found it here.” four-bedroomed house next to me. So I guess Sam and his team resurrected a derelict I’ll have a family as neighbours.” Salvation Army mission hall on the edge of the They call it Toxteth Street but this area of area – and began offering youth clubs, parent Openshaw in east Manchester, right on the counselling classes and family support for city’s boundary, is more than one street. It’s a residents. grid of tightly-packed back-to-backs with “There was such a feeling of hopelessness,” Toxteth Street as its spine. he says. “Children just couldn’t see the point of At the peak of the manufacturing heyday going to school or seeking out further every home would have been occupied. Streams education. They felt they had no hope of ever of men would flow to work at giants like English getting a job because their parents had never Steel or Ferguson and Pailin whilst housewives had a job. I really don’t see any point in would ‘donkey stone’ the front step or chat regenerating housing and building new schools over the back gate. Every stereotype of the if you don’t regenerate the person as well. northern industrial ‘good old days’ would have That’s why I think our work amongst the been played out on Silverdale, Gransmoor and community is so important.” Cheeryble Streets, so much so that the 1999 Sam and his colleagues became involved film, East is East, was shot here: Bowness with the regeneration process not just as Street rolled back in time to resemble working- residents but as advocates for those less class Salford at the beginning of the 70s. willing or able to express their views. He Many factors have influenced the area’s reluctantly agrees with the decision to demise. Clearly the collapse of the manufacturing demolish. “They’re beautiful and well-built,” economy has meant that those who could have he says, “but too many of these houses are in moved elsewhere. Some with growing families disrepair now. Keeping this number is just not emigrated over the border to Tameside where sustainable.” larger family housing was available. Some kept The clean sweep approach has been Norman Gurley follows their terraced house but moved away and rented advocated by the Housing Market Renewal progress as Lovells start it out with little experience of managing a Team (HMRT) for some time, based on the work on his new home. property at arm’s length. overall aspirations of the east Manchester 4 east 6 east Sam Ward of the Eden Project: “There’s still work for us to do here.” Now, at last, regeneration agencies and the desires of most are ‘fit and competent’ and are held responsible things are of the residents. for the actions of their tenants. moving. The HMRT project manager Mike Corcoran The revised plan – with less demolition and diggers are out explains, “It fits the wider objectives of New fewer apartments – was announced over two and residents East Manchester of offering existing residents a years ago and yet the cogs of the regeneration and construction wider choice of housing and attracting new machine have moved painfully slowly since then. staff have posed people to come and live in east Manchester.” “We’ve been just as frustrated as the residents,” says Corcoran. “We want this for the photocall In the Toxteth Street area, because the houses were essentially all the same size, there scheme to advance as quickly as possible, and on the new has never been an option for homeowners to at the same time we want to make sure the foundations. move up or scale down. “These properties were neighbourhood is managed effectively whilst built for factory workers 100 years ago,” says the construction is going on.” Corcoran, “but we’ve moved on from that. Now, at last, things are moving. The We’ve got to make new properties that are fit diggers are out and residents and construction for the 21st century.” staff have posed for the photocall on the new It’s a view that was echoed by many at the foundations. Meanwhile compulsory purchase initial discussions more than five years ago. orders are pinned to the boarded-up front Consultations showed that residents would like doors of the empty properties to await their to stay in the area but wanted a radical change absentee owners. and more choice. The developers, Lovells, will complete 83 The consultation process has been a long new homes in this first phase over the next two one. There have been drop-ins, newsletters, years, and while they’re building energy- one-to-one meetings and study visits. Plans efficient, secure homes with gardens and car have changed to accommodate the comments parking, more rows of terraced housing will be of residents, not all of whom have been emptied ready for the demolition gangs. It’ll be supportive of the Housing Renewal Programme. another 10 years before the whole process of The original plan had recommended demolition and construction is complete. wholesale demolition and included the So now work has begun isn’t it time Sam construction of a number of flats which many Ward and his Salvation Army project moved on residents had objected to. Flats to local people to find another area on its knees? meant short-term, uncommitted tenancies. To “We would like to be the key provider of planners apartments, as they’d prefer to call community facilities here,” he says. “There them, meant more options of house type isn’t a specific objective within the plans that especially for the elderly. focuses on improving the life of the “After listening to people’s views, we individual… and that’s why we think we should reviewed some of our plans,” says Corcoran. still be involved.” “We’ve reduced the number of properties being Corcoran would disagree that his team is demolished, keeping some of the larger ones in only concerned with the bricks and mortar. better condition around the periphery. “We’re looking at the personal aspect of this “We still wanted a number of apartments project too,” he says. “But we’re not being because there are lots of older people in the sentimental about it. We’re up front and area who can’t manage a house, and it would practical. Residents are supported in making also stimulate the first time buyer market. But informed choices about their options.” we’ve reduced the number from 70 to 36 in the Norman Gurley is happy with the choice revised neighbourhood plan.” he’s made. He seen good times and bad in this Offering apartments for sale doesn’t go part of Openshaw and even considered moving. down well with existing residents who have But he has a strong attachment to the area and suffered from the disruptive tenants of uncaring like many others just wants the tide to turn. landlords. But the Housing Market Renewal Team “I’m looking forward to it, I just want to get in.

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