Parkgate/Asda scheme - Shirley - to start soon

[BhamJim]

I agree in principle with you. But an educated decision has to be made for the greater good of everyone, and in this case I can't see any problem with the decision that has been made.

Furthermore, Lorely Burt did also say that she would have been at the site and protested had she not forgotten the day the developers were going to be on site to clear the area.

[Guilbert53]

A bit of a non-update to be honest.

The Shirley Asda / Parkgate scheme was given the go ahead a few months ago, and they very quickly chopped the trees down in Shirley park.

There was talk of the Asda / Parkgate project starting in maybe April or May, but I went up Shirley Park today (24th May) and there is absolutely nothing going on up there.

I did see a man walking round with a plan of the development and when I spoke to him he said he was checking the drains, where there were manholes etc.

I asked when it may start and he thought BAM Construction were due to move on site in about 2 weeks.

Maybe they will start after the Jubilee weekend when we have Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th of June as Public Holidays.

[Guilbert53]

Work to start tomorrow?

Went up Shirley Park today (12th June 2012) and a few notices on lamposts with an update.

Seems the footpath that goes from Haslucks Green Road, between the houses into Shirley Park, is due to be closed from 13th June (tomorrow) to 27th June.

This will allow the demolition of 67 Haslucks Green road that runs along the side of the footpath.

I guess this will then allow them to widen the footpath to become a "road" to allow vehicle / lorry access onto the site to begin work.

This "road" will eventually become the road access to the back of Asdas for deliveries.

See the diagram at the very begining on this topic. This road is on the very left, to the left of the Asda store and the word "ASDA"

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpo...28&postcount=1
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[joshwebb]

Great news carnt wait to see things change in this well needed area.

[Assa]

Can't wait for this to get going either although I'm not looking forward to the disruption it casues on Stratford Road / Haslucks Green Road which I presume will be the main route into the site as mentioned above.

I was in Nando's on Friday night and was suprised how busy it was. There's clearly a demand for that sort of place so I won't be surprised if a couple of the units in the development are taken by similar chains. Hopefully a Frankie & Bennies as their new breakfast menu is rather nice.

[BhamJim]

I sat outside Costa Coffee on Staurday for about 2 hours and was amazed at how busy and bustling the high street was. I think this development will be a huge success.

[Guilbert53]

Went up Shirley park again today (13th June 2012) and took some pictures, see below.

No sign of them blocking off the path yet, but there were a couple of guys from "BAM Plant" up there who were doing some measuring and I spoke to them.

They were a bit vague, but they said they planned to start "in the next week or so".

They will block off the whole area with hoardings, PLUS close the car park behind the old Bank of Ireland building (roughly behind Costa coffee).

The car park was pretty full (it always is) and there were no signs up warning people the car park is going to be closed fairly soon and perhaps suggesting alternatives.

I do wonder how many people who find the car park closed in a couple of weeks will just drive off and go shopping elsewhere, hitting Shirley trade.

Few pictures:

Picture 1 below. Taken from Haslucks Green Road showing the footpath into Shirley Park, and also 67 Haslucks Green Road which is due to be demolished.



Picture 2 below. Taken from Shirley Park, showing the rear of 67 Haslucks Green Road. You can see the sign on the lampost announcing the footpath closure.



Picture 3 below. General view of the footpath and rear of 67 Haslucks Green Road. The "BAM Plant" gear in the foreground

[Assa]

That's very worrying news about the car park. It's the only one along the length of the high street that ever has space and it's usually at least half full. There really isn't anywhere else for those cars to go and as a lot of them will be people who work in the various businesses along the high street they will use the 'shopper' spaces along the road or behind Aldi & Iceland and shoppers will find it impossible to park. Morrison's is about the only alternative as they rarely fill the top deck but if they start getting full with non-shoppers they'll have to do something.

[Marc_Sky]

I may be able to shed a little light. on the original 2008 application they applied for permission to turnover an area of parkland as a temporary carpark for the duration of the construction period, but they have to return the land to parkland prior to the occupation of any of the units. This was particularly contentious as many residents believed that this wouldn't happen, however I believe this was secured by a section 106 agreement. However I understand that an application to renew has been determined since which may have superseded these plans.

[Guilbert53]

Strolled up Shirley Park this evening (Monday 18th June).

Footpath has been fenced off, scaffolding all round 67 Haslucks Green Road, digger in the back garden, and load of household rubbish piled up in the garden (old TV, matress etc etc)

Looks like they will start demolishing tomorrow.

I will try and go up there with my camera tomorrow.

[Guilbert53]

They have started demolishing 67 Hasluck Green Road.

Picture 1, below. Demolishing 67 Haslucks Green Road. Due to the houses nearby this is going to be a slow careful demolition, no swinging a huge metal
ball to knock the walls down on this project



Picture 2 below. Close up of slow careful demolition of 67 Haslucks Green Road



Picture 3 below. Footpath alongside the house is now blocked off. The sign about the car park refers to the large car park behind the old Bank of Ireland building
(behind Costa Coffee / Nandos)



Picture 4 below. Back of 67 Haslucks Green Road



Picture 5 below. Signs have now appeared at entrance to the large car park behind Costa Coffee / Nandos

[Guilbert53]

Went up Shirley and Shirley Park again today (Wednesday 20th June 2012).

More and more men in yellow coats each time I go up there.

A few pictures.

Picture 1 below. Demolition of 67 Haslucks Green Road continues. Part of the roof has been removed since yesterday



Picture 2 below. Along the road behind the old Adams store (opposite the Red Lion pub) they have removed some fence panels so you can see the land
roughly behind the old Woolworths shop and Shirley Temple restaurant.

Looks pretty awful I have to say.



Picture 3 below. Another view of the same plot of land.

The house in the distance is behind the Baptist church and is due to be demolished.



They have started demolishing Westminster House (the old Bank of Ireland building), on the Stratford Road, next to Nandos.

At the moment they seem to be gutting the inside, throwing all the debris out the upper floor windows into skips down below.

Picture 4 below. Sign for the building above the entrance to the building



Picture 5 below. View of the building from the Stratford Road. See all the upper floor windows open.

This building is due to be replaced by new retail outlets.

Road on the right goes into the large free car park. This car park is due to close on 9th July.

After the project has finished the "road" will no longer exist and it will become a pedestrian entrance to the retail area.



Picture 6 below. View of the building from the rear. I am standing in the "free" car park.

Again see all upper windows open.



Picture 7 below. Another view of the rear of the building. The workmen were throwing debris from the upper floors in the skip below. The "digger" was crushing it up.



Picture 8 below. While taking pictures of Westminster House noticed the car park was pretty full.

Had a quick count and made it about 90 cars, though difficult to get an exact figure as cars were coming in and going out every couple of minutes.

Wonder where all these people will go when the car park closes in two weeks


.

[samk706]

went past the site tonight and noticed that there are now a couple of machines on the site and they have started digging again, by the fence,

and thanks for the pictures Guilbert

[Guilbert53]

They did not last long !

On Tuesday two signs (see picture below for one of them) were placed at the entrance to the free car park behind Nandos.

I noticed at the time they were made of metal and I wondered how long they would last before being stolen.

Well I went up there this morning (Thursday), and they both have gone. The plastic "strap" which fixed them to the lamposts was lying on the floor.

I am surprised the council are still making these signs out of metal

[Assa]

I'm going to be very interested to see how quickly they make progress on this. Site clearance & demo. is going to take a few months at least I would think. I presume getting ASDA up and running and the underground car park open will take priority over the other elements of the development. Obviously the reatail units can't be built until the carpark beneath them is built but the appartments alomng the edge of the park don't have that dependency.

[sefton66]

whats the latest on opening dates for Parkgate? Seems like construction has been rather slow on this really

[Guilbert53]

Originally Posted by sefton66

whats the latest on opening dates for Parkgate? Seems like construction has been rather slow on this really

I seem to remember reading they hope to have the retail units open by Christmas 2013, while some flats / houses may be ready before then.

They did chop the trees down very quickly a few months ago (before anyone could protest I guess) but then it all went quiet.

However I seem to remember they hoped to start in April (nothing), then May (nothing) and now they have started in mid to late June, so not sure if that puts the finish date back at all.

I must admit though, after going up there Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I have seen more and more activity each day.

More and more people in yellow jackets, some demolishing 67 Haslucks Green Road, others gutting Westminster House, while quite a few "project manager" types walking round with plans of the whole site and those devices with small wheels on them measuring things.

I guess when 67 Haslucks Green Road has gone that will give them a wide access route to the area, allowing lorries to come on site and for them to erect the hoardings that block off the site.

So it looks like the project could kick off fully in the next week or so.

[Assa]

The official website has early 2014 as the expected completion date now so they have pushed it back from Xmas 2013.

[Assa]

I wonder what route the construction traffic is going to take to get access to the site? Along the A34 presumably which will further snarl the high street up. Also will construction site workers have their own carpark on site or have to find parking along Haslucks Green Rd / Stratford Road? I can see things getting very busy and residents / business owners around the development not being at all happy.

[Guilbert53]

Went up to Shirley High St and Shirley park yesterday (Friday 22nd June), a dull overcast afternoon.

Noticed a couple more shops were closing in preparation for a building demolition.

The building is this one, Crown Building.

The building in the middle, Money Shop, has already closed.



Shoe People is also closing:



Sign in Shoe People window:



Just Kidding also closing:



Sign in Just Kidding window: