Liverpool approves final chapter of Welsh Streets’ rebirth
Placefirst’s sixth phase of redevelopment will bring 13 homes and a small community hub to High Park Street in Toxteth, 20 years after John Prescott’s ill-fated plan to demolish the Victorian streets.
There will be five three-bedroom houses, as well as five one-bedroom and three two-bedroom apartments.
Designed by MBED Architects, the project is the final phase of Placefirst’s transformation of Liverpool’s Welsh Streets neighbourhood. Curtins is the engineer for the project, WSP the planning consultant.
The Welsh Streets date back to the Victorian era. Credit: via Placefirst
The 10 streets were constructed in the 1870s by Welsh migrants.
Timeline up to Placefirst’s appointment
- 1973: The Welsh Streets Residents’ Association was formed, calling for improvements to the area
- 2002: Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced plans to demolish the estate as part of the Housing Market Renewal Initiative programme. The estate was to be replaced by 500 Victorian terraced houses and replaced with 370 new builds
- 2002-2011: The area was cleared of its residents and primed for demolition by Liverpool City Council
- 2011: Funding for £22m redevelopment was withdrawn by David Cameron’s government and the demolition did not take place
- 2013: Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson submitted new proposals for the demolition of 250 homes. The £15m plans stated that 150 new homes were to be built and 40 refurbished
- 2015: Eric Pickles, communities secretary, halted Anderson’s plans. Proposals had included the demolition of houses surrounding Ringo Starr’s childhood home, which was deemed harmful to tourism
- 2016: Liverpool City Council agreed a partnership with Placefirst for the regeneration of the area. A pilot scheme involving the refurbishment of houses in Voelas Street demonstrated how the houses could be remodelled.
The total masterplan will create a total of 294 homes. Credit: via planning documents
The first three phases of Placefirst’s masterplan included the refurbishment of a total of 99 homes, completed in 2020.
Phases four to six are all new-builds. The approval of phase six means that the Welsh Streets neighbourhood will total 294 homes.
Phases four and five were completed in 2022; phase six is expected to complete in late 2024.
To read more about the plans for the final stage of the redevelopment of the Welsh Streets, search for application number 22F/1573 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.
People talk of the Irish famine influx but thousands of Welsh had been here for years. Many on house construction . They built some sturdy properties though mainly terrace.
By Anon
The best thing Eric Pickles ever done, shame on Labour, something similar needs to happen to the many derelict houses around Granby before it’s too late.
By Anonymous
This scheme only happened because of a mass compulsory purchase as part of Labour’s Housing Market Renewal Scheme.
True the original intention was to demolish and re-build but the uncomfortable truth is that the current scheme would never have happened without the original policy’s controversial CPO. This is new build housing in all but name and as such almost impossible to replicate.
By Anonymous
@anon yes I find Irish influence on the city overplayed whilst the Welsh history is forgotten.
By anon
They weren’t migrants. Didn’t you know Wales is part of Britain. And most of those construction companies were owned and run by Welsh businessmen.
By Anon1
I don’t think the Irish influence in the city is overplayed but do agree that more attention should also be given to the Welsh influence on Liverpool.
By Anonymous
Also the Welsh Presbyterian Church on Princes Avenue is in a shocking state, it was meant to be re-furbished by the charity KIND and their CEO Stephen Yip, who ran for Liverpool City mayor. This was once the biggest congregation outside Wales, and it`s a shame to see this enormous building decaying.
By Anonymous