Liverpool Wavertree: Regeneration leaves communities like ‘war zones’
By Chris Bradley
The leader of Liverpool City Council has said the multi-million pound regeneration plan for Liverpool’s run down areas is failing and has left communities like a “war zone”.
Instead of developing communities, derelict buildings remain in some areas and progress has been slow despite £27m being spent on the six areas chosen for regeneration this year.
Councillor Warren Bradley said: “We should have landscaped areas so people didn’t feel they were living in a war zone.”
Councillor Bradley, who is a fireman as well as being the Lib Dem leader of the council, criticised the handling of the project: “The council, national government and English Partnerships probably bit off more than we could chew.”
As part of the Housing Market Renewal Initiative (HMRI) Wavertree, Anfield, Kensington, Princes Park, Granby and Lodge Lane were chosen to collectively benefit from millions of pounds worth of regeneration work.
Councillor Bradley said: “In hindsight we should have done it one by one. You can’t rip the heart out of the community and promise them something in 15 years time. I just don’t think it’s correct.”
The Lib Dem disagrees with the approach taken by the council and their partners, but said: “We are where we are. We have now got the job of rebuilding communities and giving them reassurance.”
The HMRI was announced in 2003 and was the brainchild of former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. It was hoped the initiative would vastly improve areas where the housing market was perceived to be in terminal decline.
Councillor Bradley said the challenge “is going to be to sustain communities in areas we have announced renewal” but was pleased at the progress made at Tancred Road in Anfield and plans were moving forward to develop the Granby Triangle.
