Woodnook Improvement Scheme 2012 With Photos

[Ellerby]

Yes, that was the summer newsletter, a winter update due in the next week or so, M

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Bagpuss

Exactly, but they must be laughing when the council say "they will take a tough line on landlords who refuse to take care of their properties", ha ha, a £500 fine for a house that has been empty for 12 years, real tough.

Also the article, clare pritchard says, we have given this landlord "MANY" chances to put these things right.!!!! Well if thats the case n our councillors reckon £500 is a tough line, Then i must be living in La La Land.

[Rob249]

Theyve just done a piece on bbc breakfast news about the state of the housing stock in Lancashire, theyve filmed augusta street and woodnook, ive not been up there for a long time, but it sure looks dire.I think it will be repeated in the next half hour.

[Atarah]

Originally Posted by Bagpuss

Exactly, but they must be laughing when the council say "they will take a tough line on landlords who refuse to take care of their properties", ha ha, a £500 fine for a house that has been empty for 12 years, real tough.

Gosh, only just seen this photo. That was Marie's Hairdressers for many many years on the corner of South Street.

[lavenderpixie]

Originally Posted by Rob249

Theyve just done a piece on bbc breakfast news about the state of the housing stock in Lancashire, theyve filmed augusta street and woodnook ...

I think that the report may be found and seen at this link here below ...

BBC News - Renovation for 200 empty terraced homes in Accrington

[Atarah]

Originally Posted by Ellerby

I am part of a team that hope to refurbish and remodel these homes into larger, energy efficient family homes, inc. much needed 3 & 4-beds. Hope to be able to say more in the not too distant future.

Hi Martin, would it not be possible for you to post the whole newsletter re the Woodnook area, then all our members can see what plans there are?

[cmonstanley]

Originally Posted by maxthecollie

There are too many areas of our town run down by unscrupulous landlords

put orange street on the list.

[Atarah]

Ran out of time on my last posting, so am continuing now -

I have been on a "mission" this morning. I walked around the area, with my camera, and found it very upsetting to see. I found myself going back in time, remembering my childhood growing up there, "seeing in my mind" the families who once lived there. The walking day processions, the stashing away of wood for bonfire night, the "gangs" we had going up Oak Hill Park in an evening, NOT causing problems though, just groups of kids from the area. Playing hide and seek in The Rock Gardens. Playing tennis in the park. Happy days!
Hudson Street is a street of fine, large terraced houses. Hope they are to be saved. Still cannot understand why South Street is not included in this scheme. When my aunts house was valued - in 2003, the estate said, although South Street was "not such a bad street" it was STILL ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE CHURCHYARD and so that affected his valuation!

I quote [I]"Phase 1 will include the refurbishment and remodelling of 89 properties between Augusta Street and Booth Street. We will completely transform these properties from "2 up 2 down" homes that were previously costly to heat, into a range of energy efficient 2, 3 and 4-bed family homes. In total we propose to deliver 71 homes, broken down by 22 x 2 bed, 31 x 3 bed and 18 x 4 bed. All homes will be avilable for rent".

[Retlaw]

[QUOTE=Atarah;1035862]Ran out of time on my last posting, so am continuing now -

I have been on a "mission" this morning. I walked around the area, with my camera, and found it very upsetting to see. I found myself going back in time, remembering my childhood growing up there, "seeing in my mind" the families who once lived there. The walking day processions, the stashing away of wood for bonfire night, the "gangs" we had going up Oak Hill Park in an evening, NOT causing problems though, just groups of kids from the area. Playing hide and seek in The Rock Gardens. Playing tennis in the park. Happy days!
Hudson Street is a street of fine, large terraced houses. Hope they are to be saved. Still cannot understand why South Street is not included in this scheme. When my aunts house was valued - in 2003, the estate said, although South Street was "not such a bad street" it was STILL ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE CHURCHYARD and so that affected his valuation!
Just think back 10 years when those houses in Royds St, & Augusta St, were occupied, there was trouble every night on Christ Church St Back, Lemonia St, Mountain Lane & Rough Lee Rd, cars vandalised gates ripped off their hinges etc, with the different groups of drug addicts, coming and going to Oak Hill Park, & their dens in the wood between Manchester Rd & Broad Oak Factory. We don't want that lot back again, so who will they eventually rent them to, the offspring of the those we were glad to see the back of.

[Margaret Pilkington]

So the answer then is to knock them down and do what with the land?
Build shoe box properties at prices that no-one can affordto buy?

Yes, there were bad people in those properties ten years ago...so has nothing been learned from that experience?
Does the bad experience have to mean that decent people who want homes should be penalised for the wrongdoings of those who came 10 years before?
If we want to get rid of those unmentionable people then we need to look at where they nestle in the town.......the focus for them, is Abbey St.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Atarah

Ran out of time on my last posting, so am continuing now -

I have been on a "mission" this morning. I walked around the area, with my camera, and found it very upsetting to see. I found myself going back in time, remembering my childhood growing up there, "seeing in my mind" the families who once lived there. The walking day processions, the stashing away of wood for bonfire night, the "gangs" we had going up Oak Hill Park in an evening, NOT causing problems though, just groups of kids from the area. Playing hide and seek in The Rock Gardens. Playing tennis in the park. Happy days!
Hudson Street is a street of fine, large terraced houses. Hope they are to be saved. Still cannot understand why South Street is not included in this scheme. When my aunts house was valued - in 2003, the estate said, although South Street was "not such a bad street" it was STILL ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE CHURCHYARD and so that affected his valuation!

I quote [I]"Phase 1 will include the refurbishment and remodelling of 89 properties between Augusta Street and Booth Street. We will completely transform these properties from "2 up 2 down" homes that were previously costly to heat, into a range of energy efficient 2, 3 and 4-bed family homes. In total we propose to deliver 71 homes, broken down by 22 x 2 bed, 31 x 3 bed and 18 x 4 bed. All homes will be avilable for rent".

I also have fond memories of the old times along Nuttall street.
I had friends who lived in Royds Street and we thought they were posh.
I went to school with Anne Hadfield, whose mother had a woolshop at the corner of Royds and Nuttall street.
There were the Hindle twins.....I had a very soft spot for Stuart - we were seven years old and we used to catch the bus outside his grandads toffee shop on Nuttall street.
Bob Wilkinsons Ironmongers was where I used to push the pram to to buy bags of coal bricks and gallon cans of 'lamp oil'.
Harry Booths butchers was where Ma would send us for our fresh meat. The co-op had a grocery store and a green grocers there too. I used to run all the way along to the co-op reciting the divi number out loud.....10168,10168,10168...and by the time I got there I had forgotten what I had been sent for.

I too payed in Oakhill park...rolling down the steep slope by the cenotaph.
Playing in the hidden garden.

It was a wholesome place...full of neighbourly folk who would help you out if you needed it.
It dismays me to see it as it is now.
I hope it can be revitalised and again become a worthwhile community.

[susie123]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I also have fond memories of the old times along Nuttall street.
I had friends who lived in Royds Street and we thought they were posh.

Ha ha Margaret I lived on the other side of town but always heard that Royds Street was posh! My rellies lived in Nuttall Street and had a fruit and veg shop, possibly fish as well? Couldn't tell you whereabouts though we did visit them from time to time.

Here is a pic of them, the three on the right - my great auntie Annie, great uncle Fred Creasey and their daughter Dorothy. Fred died late fifties - he was a great character. The lady on the left is his sister, my great auntie Rhoda.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

So the answer then is to knock them down and do what with the land?
Build shoe box properties at prices that no-one can affordto buy?

Yes, there were bad people in those properties ten years ago...so has nothing been learned from that experience?
Does the bad experience have to mean that decent people who want homes should be penalised for the wrongdoings of those who came 10 years before?
No Margaret, but history repeats itself, I've lived in Accrington for over 80 years, lived in the same house for the past 50, and also seen clearances before, and it doesn't take long for the landlords to start letting to same standard of tenants, because they are sure of their rents form the Social services, and sod those who want to live in peace & quiet
If we want to get rid of those unmentionable people then we need to look at where they nestle in the town.......the focus for them, is Abbey St.

Even getting rid of Maundy Grange wouldn't solve the problem, its been to long established and some one else would open another similar establishment, probably in Church St.
The real problem is a minority of do gooders who don't have to live with the problems their views cause.

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Retlaw

The real problem is a minority of do gooders who don't have to live with the problems their views cause.

What's the alternative to local councils then ?

[Margaret Pilkington]

I think it would be too difficult to get rid of the said establishment....and if it was got rid of then I think that many people would heave a huge sigh of relief, and perhaps, block any efforts by some other charity to do similar things.