Bulldozers arrive unannounced in Hulme

Article published: Tuesday, July 20th 2010

Chaos reigned in Hulme this morning as residents occupied Spider Park during demolition work ordered by the Council.

Manchester City Council began the demolition at around 9am using heavy machinery. Local residents, complaining about a lack of consultation, took to the site. Yet despite the obvious health and safety implications posed by their presence work continued. Site supervisor Maureen Barrett said, “We did [seal the site] but people just walked over the fence”. However no attempt was made to stop the work with local residents just feet away from a large earth mover as it ripped apart a wooden structure.

The Council cited anti-social behaviour as the reason for the demolition but could provide no evidence of any anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) having been handed out for unruly behaviour in the park. Nor were locals aware of any such orders or similar charges issued when questioned by MULE. Local resident Leonie Nimmo said, “I regularly meet my friends here. The problem is that they didn’t do any consultation with local residents.”

When local residents questioned their Hulme Ward Co-ordinator, the Council representative present on the scene, she said that consultation was unnecessary as this was simple “maintenance work”and that it was not “officially a park”.

The Council representative was unable to explain how changing the physical landscape of the park could contribute to a positive change in anti-social behaviour. Despite claiming that there had been a number of complaints from local residents about the behaviour of people in the park she was nevertheless unable to provide any specific examples.

The Council stopped recognising the space as a park some years ago when the site was found to be contaminated. This was a double edged sword for the community – with the children’s play area removed the toxicity of the land also halted the development of the site into luxury flats.

The Council have said that there are no plans for the site and in the wake of the demolition and no arrangements have been made for alternative amenities for park users. Other residents have complained that the mounds acted as a screen from the busy and unsightly Princess Parkway dual carriageway. The same Council representative present at the site explained that she didn’t realise this but there were no plans to take replace the mound with any other form of screen. She added that she was simply “doing what the local councillors had asked”.

Another resident who wished to remain anonymous said, “People use the site to drink but by attempting to move the people on they are only shifting the problem and not dealing with causes. Here they weren’t doing anyone any harm and were in a safe environment. Now I fear for what might happen to them.”

It is unclear how much the extensive work is due to cost as none of the Council workers on the scene were prepared to comment on this.

When questioned the Hulme Ward Co-ordinator also said that the council would be offering grants to people if they had ideas for how the site could be used.

Tim Hunt

Tweet

More: Manchester, News

Comments

1. wouldn’t the area be easier to maintain if it was covered in concrete?

   Comment by commuter on July 20, 2010 at 1:17 am

2. Probably, but I suppose you’ve seen how much of Hulme is *already* covered in concrete?

   …actually my mistake, you probably haven’t.

   Comment by Kaze no Kae on July 20, 2010 at 2:14 pm

3. spider park was dodgy with one or two dranks who burn toxic material (plastic) on the 5th Nov. Maybe now can be truly given to the residents: a garden? a play area? rather than an old sofa with a drank throwing shit in a fire!

   Comment by hulmist on July 20, 2010 at 3:46 pm

4. I’d love a grant to use the site as am ampitheatre for public workshops and performances! I am so sad to see it in it’s current state and and appalled by the mysterious councillors decision top remove the sleepers without site survey or public consultation. I intend to continue using the public space as a park despite its official classification and wish well to all who will do the same or ever have. Big up to local residents and users of the space. And big boo to those with more authority than sense. I hope somebody is made to resign or come to justice for the damage done and hope to be involved in any new ideas.

   Comment by Steffeny Mcgiffen on July 21, 2010 at 12:27 am

5. It is funny that the council built the children’s play area when it was the council who had contributed to the contamination. And instead of carrying out remedial work to remove the contamination they covered it over and built the play area. Then for some reason about 10 years ago a local council decides because the land is contaminated and the equipment dilapidated to order the removal of the play equipment. Now without doing a proper assessment of the contamination of the site they have disturbed that contamination? The HSE were informed but they need more information. So if any one has any more photographs or videos could they e-mail them to me. Cheers

   Comment by Patrick Sudlow on July 24, 2010 at 10:07 am

6. This place was used by a load of people setting up campfires. No real problem in that, except they treated the place badly… never cleaning up after themselves. Traveller’s I used to hang with were scrupolous about keeping things clean… not so here. The the council come along and do the same! Bad as each other…

   Comment by hulmeite on August 18, 2010 at 9:28 pm

The comments are closed.