Eastwood debate on BBC Radio Sheffield this morning

Anyone else tuned in to the debate this morning on BBC Radio Sheffield with Toby Foster about the Eastwood area and what an hell hole it is with many claiming it is a no go area and South Yorkshire Police not going into the area when residents call for help. It was also mentioned it was one of the top 10 deprived areas in the entire country. How can that be when it has had tens of millions spent on it over the last 10 years?

I was rather intrigued by the debate from callers phoning in and wanted to hear what people thought. So what better place than on here!

For those who don't know the area of Eastwood, its an inner-area of Rotherham which is predominantly terrace housing and semi-detached council housing with a few high-rise flats along the A630 Fitzwilliam Road between the ASDA and Rotherham town centre.

Is it really as bas as people were making it out to be? Does Eastwood compare to any area of Sheffield or is it worse? Funny how Pitsmoor and Burngreave were not mentioned in my view.

 

How can that be when it has had tens of millions spent on it over the last 10 years?

 

I dont know the area, but I assume that the £10 million was spent on housing? Its the policing, or lack of, that make an area 'no go'.

I have known people who live there and although this was a few years ago it always gave the appearance of being a rather unloved council estate. I can never understand why any council allows it's tenants to use their front garden as a parking spot after having ripped the hedge out or semi destroyed the fencing. Also the tenants who have gardens looking like a cross between a jungle and a fly tip. Maybe if the councils concerned got a bit tougher with their housing agreements it could help.

I heard someone talking about it this morning.

I get the impression the problem is more or less entirely down to the influx of Romanians/Slovaks.

These people have different standards to ourselves and are probably used to throwing things into the streets and living amongst filth. Unfortunately they bring their habits here with them to this country.

I know there have been similar problems with Somalis in Sheffield. I worked on the Broomhill housing estate many years ago and I remember Gleesons were regularly being called out to deal with blockages in the drainage during the defects liability period. Eventually they threatened to start charging, because the problem wasn't a defect with the drainage, it was families flushing all sorts of things (nappies etc) down the toilets.

I guess the answer is to either spend money on educating them in our way of life or not let them in in the first place......Let the debate rage.

Regards

Doom

You get places like this throughout the uk, and I guess eastwoods story is similar to surrounding villages that are struggling, lack of work - mass immigration - privately rented houses where the landlords just do not care about the property as long as the rent is paid.

I suppose its just the direction the country is taking.

---------- Post added 22-04-2013 at 13:26 ----------

In regards to the OPS last question, yes I would say darnall and Eastwood are very similar.

You get places like this throughout the uk, and I guess eastwoods story is similar to surrounding villages that are struggling, lack of work - mass immigration - privately rented houses where the landlords just do not care about the property as long as the rent is paid.

 

I suppose its just the direction the country is taking.

 

---------- Post added 22-04-2013 at 13:26 ----------

 

In regards to the OPS last question, yes I would say darnall and Eastwood are very similar.

Where's all the money gone then ? And I thought it was mostly council owned properties ? Are the residents blameless ?

Where's all the money gone then ? And I thought it was mostly council owned properties ? Are the residents blameless ?

They built an Aldi, and I think they have worked on the main road, I don't know where it's gone

A lot of houses up there sell for cheap, Asian landlords and foreign tenants.

Residents should look after the property.

Landlords should make sure there property is being looked after.

They built an Aldi, and I think they have worked on the main road, I don't know where it's gone

 

A lot of houses up there sell for cheap, Asian landlords and foreign tenants.

 

Residents should look after the property.

 

Landlords should make sure there property is being looked after.

I'd agree some of that, although I'm sure aldi forked out for the new aldi !

Well I can't imagine RMBC ploughing £10,000,000 into one area, the figures might have come from including outside investment, there's certainly nothing obvious to see where that sort of money has gone when driving through.

It's a dump, sorry to say, but its true. I usually listen to RS.

What was the general reaction from the public about the discussion ?

---------- Post added 22-04-2013 at 15:06 ----------

Apologise, they have built a big leisure centre across the road, classed as Eastwood but more or less Rotherham town centre. The area I am thinking of is further out towards dalton.

There is also a new building on the roundabout, with green cladding, not sure what that is but again it's not really on the residential side of Eastwood.

Interesting stuff here and it's very interesting. This a normal streetscene from Eastwood then? https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Eastwood,+Rotherham&ll=53.437275,-1.34619&spn=0.002732,0.008256&hnear=Eastwood,+South+Yorkshire,+United+Kingdom&gl=uk&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=53.437183,-1.346128&panoid=wmSBHrpt-TTsPZHB8R2Hkw&cbp=12,193.76,,1,7.16