Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

Personally I'm much happier living in my stone built, mill worker's terraced house, unique to this part of the north, than I would be in a modern built house, whose generic appearance owes more to the Toy Town school of architecture.

Much of the new housing that's replaced some of the cleared Victorian looks shoddily built, as witnessed by the new housing that was demolished in Church, and some looks very uncared for already.

Newly built 3 bedroomed house, bathroom, central heating, all mod cons. Outdoor storage space for mattresses/pit bull run, or alternatively could be used as a garden.

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

Something we can agree on Garinda, having worked in the building industry on both new build and refurbishment I know which I would pick every time, and like you would be a stone built terrace house with character. In the early seventies I worked on the deck access flats at Shad for John Laing construction, the system used was off Swedish design called Jesperson, all prefabricated at a factory in Hyde and transported to Blackburn, this was supposed to be the way forward as were tower blocks, (there were around 5 in Blackburn) less than forty years later most of these are gone, but I believe Blackburn are still paying for them

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

Spot on, having worked in construction, lived in most differant types of home, am well happy to be back in a terrace. the older semis re- the red brick uns on dill hall (had one) are built well, think they changed the spec in 60s, jaysay will know fer sure, n started building with matchsticks etc fer roof joists n spars, n cheaper less substantial crap was going in other areas of houses, they were never gonna last, but they looked nice n silly women wanted em.:rolleyes:

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

Exactly cashy we used T and G boarding for floors not donkey biscuit, seven inch skirting boards three inch architraves, decent roof beams, common brick inside walls not breeze block, copper piping not plastic, the list goes on

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

Many of the older type stone built terraces were knocked down, when I am pretty sure that with some renovation(costing far less than new build plus demolition) would have made excellent family homes.
Homes with history and character.
The building of social housing was cut back by councils decades ago.
Governments of the past(and local councils for that matter) have squandered money on Mickey mouse schemes.......and when the money just isn't there, then there is no real alternative but to cut back on building programs.
The outcome would have been the same if a Labour government had been re-elected.

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

exactly the outcome would be the same, it was a case of "looks Nice" n "Cheap" before PRACTICAL.:rolleyes:

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

Trouble is cashy you don't see to many Joiners, Plumbers, Plasterers, Electricians, Brickies or the like sitting on the benches in the House of Commons and Government advisers will all have an ulterior motive for new build:rolleyes: a deep trouser pocket;)

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

Very true. But I think I'm right in saying that most social housing is now provided by Housing Associations and Co-Ops and quite honestly the standard of their housing far exceeds most of the crap that councils built. In addition, some social housing is now provided by private developers as part of a package in new housing developments. And of course, there are shared ownership schemes although I am not aware of any of these in Hyndburn.

What is striking is the lack of imagination within HBC on housing developments although to what extent this has been due to the envelopment of the Elevate scheme, I don't know. What would have been nice to have seen would have been the redevelopment of some of that Victorian terraced stock along the lines of the Salford 'Upside-Down' housing scheme. Still, to late for that now.

However, that lack of imagination is still showing through. The alternative to new housing is now going to be a publicily funded park. That will require maintainance costs. What happens when further cuts are implemented? There are already enough problems for existing park funding.

On the basis that it will be many years before any housing development can take place, surely the better option would be to hand this land over for allotments? I'm certain there is a substancial waiting list in Hyndburn and if the wider debate on food scourcing is taken into account, then surely this would offer a far cheaper, more radical and sustainable plan.

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

'The publication aims to make it clearer to councils how to manage their budgets effectively in the light of spending cuts. Those worst affected include Portsmouth and Hyndburn, which are both receiving the maximum 2% overall budget cut.'

CLG confirms £1.16bn local government funding cuts | Public Property UK

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

The interesting thing is that Area Councils have had their budgets cut by around 20% in Hyndburn whilst the Leader of the Council (among others) has just voted to raise their own salary by a large percentage.

Feathering the nest of the few at the expense of the entire borough doesn't really sound like prudent practice to a new boy like me.

It's nice to know that our money is being well spent though, isn't it?

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

Please do take into account the rate of inflation.

Meet the World's Most Expensive Burger

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

Sorry G, forgotten about that.

Perhaps he should raise his salary a bit more just to compensate?

In the meantime, I'll have the £2,500 back that Rishton lost this year so I can build a bus shelter for the old folk and schoolkids.

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

I was talking to a woman from Forrest the firm that's doing the regeneration in this area they have just about finished in our street (persia st) she was calling round with a letter to let us know they would be sandblasting again on the lower part of the houses they missed first time round.
i asked how far they where going and she said our street would be the last this year as there was no more money to do Hyndburn street,India street or china street till next year

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

Cynic that I am, just keep an eye out for the money that Peter Britcliffe miraculously finds this year for Oswaldtwistle.

Keep your punters happy.

Re: Just before the robbing Tory budget
 

Punters?

We don't pay him.

:D