Login   |   Register   |   
Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Photo-a-Day Archive
Photo-a-Day Archive

Photo-a-Day  (Saturday, 4th August, 2012)

Old Wall


Old Wall
Standish Bleachworks.

Photo: Mick Byrne  (Sony HDR)
Views: 4,619

Comment by: Ernest pyke on 4th August 2012 at 02:41

Photo`s of Standish Bleachworks before demolition in June 2003 are in New gallery, Bleach Works.
One of the 65 photo`s, on 9th row and 3rd left, is very similar to Mick`s.

Comment by: Ernest Pyke on 4th August 2012 at 03:13

Mick, re your P-a-D yesterday, I put `roburite` in search box above and there`s an heading "Orica(Roburite) Housing Development in Shevington. This gives comments in `Communicate`, `General` and will be of interest, in particular, to Whelley Wayne and AL.C.

Comment by: Helen on 4th August 2012 at 08:23

An unusual photo but very good, I like it. Surely this is what GOOD planning is all about, the old & the new in harmony.

Comment by: Dave Marsh on 4th August 2012 at 10:39

A fairly pointless exercise especially if you're living 'behind the wall'.

Comment by: Mercury on 4th August 2012 at 11:16

Up to a point, Helen. Some of the new houses are behind the old wall and have a very limited view. But on a positive note, the developers re-used the old 'Check Office' as a sub-station, and designed the new housing with brickwork detail to match the old Bleachworks and Mayflower Cottages.

Comment by: Ron D on 4th August 2012 at 11:34

I don't think that old wall will do much for the view that it will give to the new dwellings behind it.

Comment by: RED ROCKER , on 4th August 2012 at 11:50

ARE YOU JOKING HELEN , WOULD YOU BUY A HOUSE WITH A VIEW LIKE THAT.

Comment by: RED ROCKER on 4th August 2012 at 11:51

ROOM WITH A VIEW.

Comment by: RED ROCKER on 4th August 2012 at 11:55

THEY SHOULD HAVE FLATTENED THE WALL LIKE THE REST OF THE FACTORY.

Comment by: Neil Rigby on 4th August 2012 at 12:49

The wall does act as an acoustic screen from any traffic on the road, but I don't know if this road takes heavy traffic, particularly buses and lorries. The wall does seem to block a nice 'green view' to the left. It would be interesting to see what notes were made on the planning application for this development.

Comment by: Thomas(Tom)Walsh. on 4th August 2012 at 13:10

I like the majority of viewers of W.W.want to keep, and treasure our heritage ,but I can't for the life of me see any benefit in the particular piece of brickwork .Important buildings,are left to fall into disrepair,whilst others that could and should have been preserved , are now just a memory.Mick,thank you for this excellent,and thought provoking Photogragh

Comment by: Helen on 4th August 2012 at 13:20

Point taken but if the houses/flats were for sale & people have bought them...they couldn't have been to worried about the view. And no I wouldn't by a house with a view like that RED ROCKER but someone else might, it takes all sorts.

Comment by: Ernest Pyke on 4th August 2012 at 16:30

Neil and Tom, copy and paste into your browser :-
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:awr1P4RCId0J:www.wigan.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/06A732CF-39D5-4792-B44B-EB66E4AF9DD8/0/April2010MayflowerCAA1199kb.pdf+wall+at+standish+bleachworks+wigan&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShySaXVdDQxNYPZ-LkBpI2GUbfv_R-IGzCu2XhMVcKpR7tKoiAV-eJs7cvohkG4xL2R_DMWh6uWzKGPLAjyATveiPEFlprFHzVSqg9XVrUMvTclfm8oBNt4GGbSKPPBFjG68lj7&sig=AHIEtbQKiHY-XGR6qmVXyaVW-DYQc2xs8A
It`s about the Mayflower Conservation Area.

Comment by: Neil Rigby on 4th August 2012 at 18:20

Very interesting info about the conservation issues Ernest. A laudable attempt seems to have been made at harmonisation of old and new (as Helen said.) We cannot see the back of the wall and it unlikely to be as visually appealing as the front, but if it means that the cost of some of properties is lower than others because of presence of the wall then someone will be happy. Having said that, I am sure that some estate agents would suggest that the affected properties are perhaps "more private" than others and try to charge more money on that basis.

Comment by: David Moore on 4th August 2012 at 18:38

I'm with Red Rocker, the wall should be flattened. Its an eyesore.

Comment by: Skeets on 4th August 2012 at 22:55

I guess it depends who wants to remember a Bleach Works, for goodness sake. Heritage buildings yes, but a Bleach Works?
Some interesting comments and views - great.

Comment by: Mick on 4th August 2012 at 23:26

The wall has been left up because of dogooders protesting when they where building the new houses they also wanted to stop the development because they said there some bats living in a hole

Comment by: Neil Rigby on 4th August 2012 at 23:52

We would all be poorer (culturally speaking) if we took a narrow view of what 'heritage' meant. Many people regard 'industrial heritage' as important to society. As an example, one of the most successful enterprises in recent years is Tate Modern (London) and what was this building before? It was a Power Station. In the present case we need to consider everything, including other associated buildings that were kept, and importantly the beneficial effects on the new development (by way of harmonisation) which probably prevented a 'modern' and cheap looking eyesore such that can be seen in many places.

Comment by: Skeets on 5th August 2012 at 03:15

Fair enough comments Neil.

Comment by: Helen on 5th August 2012 at 08:19

Well said Neil.

Wigan seems/seemed hell bent on obliterating it's industrial past.

Comment by: David on 6th August 2012 at 17:15

But if Tate Modern's facade had just been retained - then in my opinion - it would have looked just as ridiculous as this one.

Leave a comment?

* Enter the 5 digit code to the right of the input box. Don't worry if you make a mistake, you will get another chance. Your comments won't be lost.