Even as the infamous Housing Market Renewal regeneration initiative lies in tatters – with half-empty terraces and vacant plots of  land littering the nine annointed areas of the north and midlands and little available public finance to finish the job – the juggernaut staggers onwards. This week two public inquiries took place in Bootle, Merseyside, with the aim of relieving the few remaining home owners of their properties. As always, all most of them want is a fair financial settlement which would allow them to find an equivalent home at now cost to themselves, but as has so often been the case they have been dragged through an expensive and protracted public hearing they have little to no chance of winning. Plus ca change.

If you can face learning more about HMR, I’ve been documenting the process in words, images and multimedia for four years and it can all be found here.