West midlands Tower Blocks 2

[MichaelWolves]

has anyone been past kenrick park recently ?? they have unrapped the roof of the mega block.

[ReissOmari]

Getting there


Ready for the 'fin' now

[Nacho]

Russell House, the last remaining tower block in Wednesbury, should have had its refurbishment completed by now but things are not looking too good .In line with other refurbishments in West Brom's Kenrick Park area, Sandwell Council had this block in its sights .Last autumn everything was set up with structures on its facade .However, this has since been taken down without any work visibly done .The tower still has boarding around its grounds so not all is lost .This is a very popular tower and it's a pity that the project has stalled .

The following report in last December's Express&Star made me fear the worst .
http://www.expressandstar.com/money/...ousing-scheme/

[sefton66]

Demolition of Erdington tower begins after falcons fly their nest

by Neil Elkes, Birmingham Mail
Sep 3 2011


A FAMILY of peregrine falcons have flown the nest – finally paving the way for the demolition of a derelict tower block.

Work to bulldoze the 16-storey Harlech Tower in Erdington was put on hold because of the unlikely squatters.

But now the nesting pair and their three chicks have moved on and the tower is expected to be reduced to rubble by the end of November.

Council housing chief Coun John Lines, the falcons’ landlord, said: “This tower may have been an eyesore for the last few months, but it served a wonderful ornithological purpose.

“It was home to this family and we were happy for them to stay until they were ready to move on.”

Council officers ringed the birds’ legs to keep track of them and have placed nesting boxes on nearby towers.

Harlech is the last of three 1960s-built towers on the Lyndhurst estate in Erdington to be demolished as part of a £100 million regeneration project.

Three hundred homes, the Lyndhurst Pub and Star Members’ Club have also been pulled down over the last two years.

Four remaining tower blocks on the estate are being renovated.

The regeneration scheme, backed by a £100 million private finance initiative funding, will see 316 new houses, new public open space, a youth centre and health centre built over the next few years.

The new homes will include a mix of properties for rent and sale.

Coun Bob Beauchamp (Con, Erdington) said: “This is the most important development as far as this side of the city is concerned.

“The Lyndhurst, when it was built more than 40 years ago, was held up as a shining example of urban development and attracted visitors from all over Europe.

“But it was poorly designed and deteriorated.

“This redesign will address those faults.”

What are your memories of life on the Lyndhurst estate? Email letters@birminghammail.net

Read More http://www.birminghammail.net/news/t...#ixzz1WuGWZJgk

[ellbrown]

Update on Wickets and Century Tower's from the back of the old houses at Edgbaston Cricket Ground.

image hosted on flickr

Edgbaston Cricket Ground - old houses and Wickets Tower and Century Tower by ell brown, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Edgbaston Cricket Ground - old houses and Wickets Tower and Century Tower by ell brown, on Flickr

[Nacho]

Night views from Kenrick House West Bromwich .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uu3x...eature=related

[EnglishStan]

Originally Posted by Butterfield

I think those are the most southernmost of Brum's blocks.

However, my A-Z only seems to list 3 out of the 5. They are:

* Hillside House

* Quarry House

* Rushmore House

They are on Cockhill Lane. But as for the other two blocks...

Dowerie House and Redworth House are the other two!

[EnglishStan]

These images were taken around 10 years from various parts of the city.

City Centre from Cambridge Tower by Broad Street



The following 4 images were taken on the Bristol Road in Longbridge, opposite the King George Pub (now the Chinese Buffett)









Not sure what estate these were, they were taken as I travelling along the M6. Possibly Chelmsley Wood?







Bangham Pit, Near Bartley Green









Separately, Lee Bank possibly taken in the 80s? I remember these when I used to pass on 63 bus as a kid.

[Butterfield]

Thanks for those! And welcome.

Not sure what estate these were, they were taken as I travelling along the M6. Possibly Chelmsley Wood?

The top picture is actually the Charlemont Farm estate in West Bromwich. The latter two are in Oldbury/Rowley Regis/White Heath, a couple of junctions down the M5 from the first pic.

Bangham Pit, Near Bartley Green

I'm rather excited by these photos as those blocks no longer exist and I don't think they've been featured on here before! I visited them when they were in that state, just before demolition in I'm guessing around 2003. They were the first blocks you came across as you headed down the windy country road from Bartley Reservior - quite a sight!

[Nacho]

Great selection there EnglishStan !

Congratulations on being an uncle Butterfield .

[Butterfield]

Oh, thanks!

[Butterfield]

Here's those three blocks by Bartley reservoir - not to be confused with the 4 or 5 which were demolished at Bartley Green a couple of years ago.

[Erebus555]

I came across a huge complex of flats in the Highgate part of the city centre a couple of months ago and I've been doing a bit of research on them. They were built at the end of the 1930s (Rather than after World War 2) and were demolished in 1981, so before most of our times.

I wrote an article on them at the Housing Wiki (I've revived my interest in it after some editors fucked it up): http://ukhousing.wikia.com/wiki/St_Martin%27s_Flats

They weren't successful at all so there wasn't an awful lot of photos taken of them but there are a few links in the article to some old shots from the 50s.

[Nacho]

That was a very interesting read Erebus.I'd seen those photos before but I had no idea where the flats were located .

[Erebus555]

Yeah I assumed they were just another bunch of flats in Nechells or something but I came across them on some 1950s map and they stood out massively from all the slums around them. I thought it was a hospital at first.

It's amazing how much the area has changed. Most of the slums have become parkland and factories, with the exception of these flats which have become some small suburban estate in the city centre.

And here's the location for anyone wondering what funk I'm on about: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&so...08583&t=h&z=18

[Nacho]

Following your link Erebus ,I came across this view .I've seen these small blocks sometimes when I've seen skyline views from the south of the city .There are ,I think , two or more tower blocks in the same vecinity .


http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&so...0.63,,0,-11.98

[Nacho]

Staying in the same area ,an area which is unfamiliar to me , I came upon a number of four storey buildings .Does anyone know if they are new builds or have recently had a refurb?

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&so...,0.000383&z=21

[Erebus555]

Those four storey blocks were refurbished a few years ago along with the big towers along the road.

And with those short tower blocks, I think there's about four in the area altogether. Also, that's a cracking view down Darwin Street - I had no idea!

[Nacho]

The impressive Pleck cluster as posted by Smileyface several times was,as we know, demolished some time ago .This smaller build ,which I quite like, has gone up in its place .

http://maps.google.es/maps?f=q&sourc...,35.08,,0,0.71

[hoody]