Looking for stories from Arbourthorne

[biker]

It was definitely in the park. My aunt's block overlooked it. We would not have been able to see it, if it had been further up on the arbour-fields

 

It was 1971 probably May that they had its a knockout at Arbourthorne

[redrobbo]

I do think the council need to wake their ideas up. If they're going to demolish then get them demolished, if they aren't, then get them refurbed. (I think it's utterly pointless that the council have spent a small fortune on double glazing the properties, doing the bathrooms out, and refurb-ing the kitchens, only to demolish them)

 

I know that when the finnegans were built in 1967/8 they were only intended to be up for approx 10 yrs, 15 at most. Forty years on, I think they've done remarkably well, and I don't think they "owe us owt" as the saying goes.

 

I loved my Finnegan, and had it not been for the council refusing to do the adaptions I needed, I would still be in it. They were great for fuel economy becasue of all the insulation, the built in wardrobes etc were massive, and they were so well laid out. (the flat roof was a bit of a problem as it was poorly maintained, and the drain kept blocking up, causing the roof to become a swimming pool.)

 

my only quibble about my finnegan was the fact that I had a hole in my living room wall, caused by water penetration. Something which was never repaired properly in nearly five years. Rather than deal properly with the water coming in, and then repairing the plaster, the workmen would come and plaster the hole up, and as soon as the water came back in, it'd wash out as quickly.

 

Your experiences of the 5M Finnegan type houses are not untypical of those experienced by current residents Plain Talker.

 

These flat-roofed properties were indeed built for a short term life-span, and have greatly exceeded their 'sell-by-date' as you corrected stated.

 

The problems of water penetration and other difficulties arising from the construction of the 5M Finnegan properties will not be cured by the Decent Homes standards. They have served well, far longer than expected, but with each succeeding year, the problems with damp and water penetration grows.

 

That is why residents and local folk were consulted on the Arbourthorne Masterplan, which was approved by the council's Cabinet in 2004.

 

Although I appreciate your sentiment that if the council is going to demolish them then they ought to get on with the job, but it is not as simple as you might wish.

 

The demolition of the 5M properties in Arbourthorne will be the last large-scale scheme of its kind in the city. But in front of Arbourthorne were other similar schemes, e.g., Park Hill and the SWAN scheme - and a need to rehouse folk from these schemes before Arbourthorne could be started. But now the time has come to begin the detailed planning, demolition and rebuild.

 

The good news is that the folk in the blocks of flats on Errington Road are already being rehoused. This site will be become the new and much-needed medical centere for Arbourthorne.

 

Residents in the remaining properties have formed a Steering Group and several meetings have already been held, including the most recent one in which the proposed phased demolition was discussed. One-to-one meetings with affected residents are currently being held, and 5 days of drop-in surgeries have just ended.

 

There will also be a public consultation meeting held under the auspices

of the Park Heeley Area Panel in early June.

 

A report will then go to the council's Cabinet in early Autumn, and then, all being well, the next phased demolition scheme can be also be approved by Cabinet. That work could commence later this year, including provision for an extra care scheme for the elderly, though it will be a few years yet before the Arbourthorne Masterplan is finally completed.

 

Initial preparatory work will also commence on the proposed

transformation of the green open space (known as Arbourthorne Fields) into a public park, including much needed recreational facilities for local children.

[Plain Talker]

ooh, redrobbo,

I am surprised that the flats are coming down, too, I didn't realise that.

 

I thought the flats were still sound of construction etc and still had plenty of potential, unlike the Finnegan houses.