Liverpool Council approves demolition of Beatle's home

Liverpool Council has approved the demolition of the Welsh Streets after protestors fought a six year battle to save the area.

The council voted unanimously to begin the process in a planning meeting this morning (Tuesday), subject to an environmental impact assessment issued by communities secretary Eric Pickles.

Mr Pickles issued the article 25 statement yesterday, and the council cannot begin demolition of the 271 houses until it is complete.

The area of Liverpool includes 9, Madryn Street where Beatles drummer Ringo Starr was born and lived for the first five years of his life. The EIA will look at pollution and noise from the demolition, as well as the loss of material assets and the loss of cultural heritage.

A council spokesperson said the assessment would cover Mr Pickles in the event of ‘a legal challenge’.

Liverpool Council leader and cabinet member for housing, Joe Anderson, said: ‘I am urging the secretary of state to make a speedy decision on this issue so that we can crack on and push ahead with the badly needed regeneration of this area.

‘A majority of the local community have expressed support for our plans since we started consulting on this plan over a decade ago. They are sick of living in poky, damp infested properties. They want and deserve decent, modern homes with gardens and space for a car and are exasperated and frustrated at the delays to this scheme.’

William Palin, from Save Britian’s Heritage, said he would continue to fight the decision: ‘We and the residents will now be able to challenge an application not just on the method of demolition, but whether the demolition would be able to happen in the first place.’
---Rhiannon Bury
    insidehousing.co.uk