Comments on: Manchester’s luxury apartments http://www.g7uk.com/photo-video-blog/20080805-manchesters-luxury-apartments.shtml Photo Video Blog Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:55:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Nathalie Hachet http://www.g7uk.com/photo-video-blog/20080805-manchesters-luxury-apartments.shtml#comment-22328 Nathalie Hachet Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:42:51 +0000 http://www.g7uk.com/photo-video-blog/20080805-manchesters-luxury-apartments.shtml#comment-22328 I totally agree with the author of this article, and for my part have always said it myself: those new blocks of flats sprucing like the plague across the city centre will be a source of social and environmental problems in years to come (issues which have already started to arise in some Manchester developments and elsewhere in the big cities, think the Persimmon development across from London's Docklands). Negative equity and the credit crunch are putting an end to the grand buy-to-let delusion, while in parallel to this you have fractured communities coexisting side by side in those bland-looking apartment blocks, with no sense of belonging or identity, nobody knowing who the neighbour is, and some unscrupulous tenants attracting unsavoury characters into the buildings (we've watched the stories on TV, if not witnessed them ourselves!). A number of these developments already show sure signs of neglect (where do the maintenance charges go?) and - like you - I can predict that those flats will turn into no-go areas before long! These investments tend to be poorly thought out by the architects involved, the style is one step up from your standard council block, the workmanship is shoddy, if not shocking, and those quickly-thrown-together buildings are simply not designed to stand the test of time! Well, after all, the (pre-credit crunch) idea for property developers was to make a quick buck in the nick of time, by maxing out the profits and blighting the landscape! They have certainly succeeded. I totally agree with the author of this article, and for my part have always said it myself: those new blocks of flats sprucing like the plague across the city centre will be a source of social and environmental problems in years to come (issues which have already started to arise in some Manchester developments and elsewhere in the big cities, think the Persimmon development across from London’s Docklands).

Negative equity and the credit crunch are putting an end to the grand buy-to-let delusion, while in parallel to this you have fractured communities coexisting side by side in those bland-looking apartment blocks, with no sense of belonging or identity, nobody knowing who the neighbour is, and some unscrupulous tenants attracting unsavoury characters into the buildings (we’ve watched the stories on TV, if not witnessed them ourselves!).

A number of these developments already show sure signs of neglect (where do the maintenance charges go?) and - like you - I can predict that those flats will turn into no-go areas before long! These investments tend to be poorly thought out by the architects involved, the style is one step up from your standard council block, the workmanship is shoddy, if not shocking, and those quickly-thrown-together buildings are simply not designed to stand the test of time!

Well, after all, the (pre-credit crunch) idea for property developers was to make a quick buck in the nick of time, by maxing out the profits and blighting the landscape! They have certainly succeeded.

]]> By: tankgirl http://www.g7uk.com/photo-video-blog/20080805-manchesters-luxury-apartments.shtml#comment-20330 tankgirl Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:52:35 +0000 http://www.g7uk.com/photo-video-blog/20080805-manchesters-luxury-apartments.shtml#comment-20330 Are they planning to get rid of Victoria bridge over the Irwell? I've seen plans of the development oat that end of deansgate and it looks like they want to replace it with another bland glass and steel structure..Why . what is wrong with restoring the old bridge although because of the 'credit crunch' some developments down there have been shelved.....for w Are they planning to get rid of Victoria bridge over the Irwell? I’ve seen plans of the development oat that end of deansgate and it looks like they want to replace it with another bland glass and steel structure..Why . what is wrong with restoring the old bridge although because of the ‘credit crunch’ some developments down there have been shelved…..for w

]]> By: jd http://www.g7uk.com/photo-video-blog/20080805-manchesters-luxury-apartments.shtml#comment-20174 jd Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:04:00 +0000 http://www.g7uk.com/photo-video-blog/20080805-manchesters-luxury-apartments.shtml#comment-20174 that photo of the rubble in Castlefield is actually where Quay Bar used to be, it only got knocked down this year due to squatters living inside... http://www.e-architect.co.uk/manchester/jpgs/manchester_building_aw120806_225.jpg that photo of the rubble in Castlefield is actually where Quay Bar used to be, it only got knocked down this year due to squatters living inside…

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/manchester/jpgs/manchester_building_aw120806_225.jpg

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