The Most Neglected Street in Salford?

I live in Tootal Grove in Weaste, where all the investment and improvements are being made. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for Tootal Grove.

Just off the main road, Tootal Grove is a cul-de-sac that is dominated by Seddons construction site, the company contracted by City of Salford to make these improvements. As well as the building site traffic, which is destroying already crumbling road surfaces, the noise and dirt and disruption from Seddons are enough to make life a misery if you live here. Next door to Seddons is a United Utilities water station that has been vandalised and left open for the local children to play in. Outside of Seddons and the Water Station is fly tipping which has been left lying around the street for the last three years. When I leave my front gate I’m wading though rubbish and weeds and soil to get to my car.

The view from my living room window isn’t much better. During the day construction traffic is flying past as I battle to hear the television or radio. At night the view changes to hoards of children throwing missiles from the roof of buildings opposite.

For the last three years I have complained to all the relevant people. My local New Prospect Housing Manager told me (in one of the many conversations I had with him) that some on the local council believe that “for the sake of the community a few eggs will get smashed”. A parting shot before he fobbed me off to some other bureaucratic agency.

I regularly notice City of Salford officials and councillors visiting Seddons site. Happily stepping over the rubbish strewn in the street, past the vandalised water station. But I suppose you would be cheerful when the view from your house doesn’t resemble a bombsite.

Broadway Wildlife Oasis Wiped Out

For those of you who have driven along Broadway in Salford, you may have seen a small oasis of wildlife that had sprung up in the middle of a busy industrial estate. On either side of the road just beyond the tramlines heading towards Eccles were a variety of bird and rabbits living in the thick hedges and bushes. If you were lucky enough you could spot them sunbathing and nibbling on the grass verges. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who sometimes purposely drove home this way just to catch a glimpse? So it was with dismay when recently driving past, I saw what I can only assume to be developers cutting down the hedges. All that’s left is a pile of wood-chip were all these creatures once lived. When there is such little natural space left in Salford it seems a miserable price to pay for the sake of more development.

Why Salford Diary

I live in Weaste and this blog is going to be about what's going on in Salford that is affecting me and and anyone else for that matter. I recently did a course at the Langworthy Cornerstone about press releases and the tutor started by asking what our own burning issues are? Once I started I realised there seemed to be an endless list of local issues affecting me and where I live. For example, I use Buile Hill Park everyday, I take my son and walk the dog. So I wasn't happy when Salford Council sold off Buile Hill Mansion and planning permission has been put forward to convert it into a Hotel. If this was the Lake District the mansion would be a visitor or heritage centre, something for the community and for the people who use the park. On reading plans for the hotel in my local newspaper, there will over a hundred employees working there. You don't have to be a genius to work out that if all those employees travel to work in a car, along with deliveries and the customers using the hotel, then Buile Hill looks set to become one huge car park. I could go on and on, and believe me I will, so have a read, maybe you've got some burning issues of your own?