Among the responses to this post which touched upon a Liverpool regeneration saga – that of Toxteth’s Welsh Streets renewal zone – one stood out. It was from an unnamed resident who was putting across an alternative point of view from that of the anti-demolition group that I know better. This is what he or she said:

I lived in one of the Welsh Streets for 67 years until I moved into a newly built home just around the corner, nearly 2 years ago, together with neighbours from the Welsh Streets.So the community has not been split, as even those who moved into better housing nearby are still within the area and still neighbours.
One of the arguments, put forward by Nina’s drastically reduced opposition group, being that the community would suffer.Those opposed to plans are people who do not involve themselves with the wider community or even live in one of the smaller houses and do not speak for the community.The “conspiracy” theory was their invention. The Welsh Street housing was beyond repair. Many of us had had refurbishment grant work done in the late 70’s on our homes,to give them another 30 years of useful life, which failed to solve ongoing problems of subsidence and damp. The water table being inches below the properties, water 10 inches deep at least.Owners could not sell the properties even for £20,000 a few years ago, had they wished to move. Contrary to what the press has been told, owners were given current Market Value for their properties.
The Opposition group misinformed the media time & time again.For example the Heritage study concluded that the properties had no significant heritage value and keeping any of them would be detrimental to the proposed regeneration of the area.
One side of Kelvin Grove is to be retained, as are the remaining Welsh Streets on the other side of High Park Street, being in better condition.
I think the Welsh Streets residents have made it clear over the past 6 years,particularly by lobbying the Town Hall “en masse” that they are in favour of and support demolition.
We can do without people who do not & would not live here causing any further delay to the process,as residents remaining in the third phase are anxious for work to commence that they may access better housing.

As I wrote in response, I would love to hear this view in person – as I’m well aware than none of these situations are ever black and white and I’m always interested in representing differing points of view.

Over the past few months I’ve visited people in almost 20 different communities affected by regeneration of one kind or another. I’ve recorded people’s experiences and edited all of them down to audio files of a few minutes long. I’ve photographed everyone outside their current or former home or on their street. The photos aren’t necessarily very exciting – but coupled with the audio they are a worthwhile record.
This is an ongoing project. I intend to visit more people and don’t only want people who have had negative experiences, or with one kind of viewpoint. These will form the basis of features and hopefully a special report of some kind in 2010, as well as being published one by one on my blog.