# Billy Banks Estate, Penarth - April 2012 (Pic Heavy)



## kellisurbex (Apr 17, 2012)

Sorry guys, yet another Billy Banks report  

The Billy Banks Estate was built upon the remains of a limestone quarry, overlooking the Penarth Flats. Originally considered a modern estate and even winning awards, it went into decline in the 1980s and a decision was made to redevelop the site in 1998. 
Most residents left by 2002 with just a few remaining until quite recently I believe. 
The estate is now almost completely derelect and some of the buildings have 
already been demolished and new luxury accomodation is being built.


































































































































Thanks for looking


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## Mars Lander (Apr 17, 2012)

Great report and piks, what a place !!! I bet its quite nervy going there that not so cuddly toy on pik 10 makes for fantastic shot


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## kellisurbex (Apr 17, 2012)

AltDayOut said:


> Great report and piks, what a place !!! I bet its quite nervy going there that not so cuddly toy on pik 10 makes for fantastic shot



It is quite eerie walking around, almost like being in some zombie film haha. Could spend hours upon hours wondering about this place


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## UE-OMJ (Apr 17, 2012)

Thats one of the places I really want to visit - cheers for the pics.


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## flyboys90 (Apr 17, 2012)

Great photos,thanks for sharing.


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## UEP-Wales (Apr 17, 2012)

omj624p said:


> Thats one of the places I really want to visit - cheers for the pics.



If you do, go soon and be careful!. I have just come from there after receiving a phone call earlier today talking about the new fencing (more than what I think kellisurbex would have experienced). The place is getting ready for a soft demo with everything being torn down on the insides. There has also been two pretty large fires there in the past 24 hours. 

Lawsons are due to move in the big guns pretty soon and after that, one block at a time will be coming down.

The place is still do-able from a couple of places but it's not a "walk in job" no more.


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## sparky. (Apr 18, 2012)

brilliant report and photos thanks for sharing


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## UrbanX (Apr 18, 2012)

What a state! Nice photos though, cheers for sharing!


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## kellisurbex (Apr 18, 2012)

Urbex-SW said:


> If you do, go soon and be careful!. I have just come from there after receiving a phone call earlier today talking about the new fencing (more than what I think kellisurbex would have experienced). The place is getting ready for a soft demo with everything being torn down on the insides. There has also been two pretty large fires there in the past 24 hours.
> 
> Lawsons are due to move in the big guns pretty soon and after that, one block at a time will be coming down.
> 
> The place is still do-able from a couple of places but it's not a "walk in job" no more.



Wow sounds like I got there just in time then  can't believe there have been more fires  the fire damage was clear in a few houses already, such a shame. I noticed a huge chunk of it had already been demo'd and pretty sure some new flats have gone up too.


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## UEP-Wales (Apr 18, 2012)

kellisurbex said:


> Wow sounds like I got there just in time then  can't believe there have been more fires  the fire damage was clear in a few houses already, such a shame. I noticed a huge chunk of it had already been demo'd and pretty sure some new flats have gone up too.



The estate was split up into 2 phases, Royal Close end was Phase 1 and that is almost complete with the new houses. Phase 2 which you have photographed here has had some soft demo action. 
Where you would have entered the site was the bin blocks:






A photo taken in October 2011.​
These are now reduced to rubble to allow the diggers through. Since February 2012, there has been 7 large fires, 1 set made local news because of the number of fire engines that were on scene. 





A photo taken in February 2012.​
As I say at the moment the buildings are being prepared for a soft demo, everything on the insides is now making the floor on the outside. Windows are being taken out, doors off, rubbish removed. I am not being told at the moment if the place is going to be fully stripped first or if they are doing it in sections. The developers and demolition team give me alot of information but the action "date" isn't very clear so far. 










Taken in April 2012​
Many know on here that this place is like a second home for me and I am there daily, to the point where the security ignore me, developers say hello and the demolition guys give me funny looks. It will be a shame when they are pulled down because there are still people's memories inside, left behind never to be seen again.

Sorry for adding these pics here, but pictures speak louder than words (and can show what the hell I'm actually on about! LOL!​


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## kellisurbex (Apr 18, 2012)

Thanks Ubex-SW for all the info! No worries at all for posting pics  Have you seen any photos from when these houses were lived in at all? I can't find anything


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## jkon2012 (Apr 24, 2012)

Popular place, I just read Shaun's thread on this place too. Nice shots.


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## Pedrfardd (May 15, 2012)

Great report - thanks for sharing..


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## begbi (Jun 1, 2012)

Fantastic report man awesome pics love to visit myself


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## kellisurbex (Jun 1, 2012)

begbi said:


> Fantastic report man awesome pics love to visit myself



Thanks, it's a great place, although not entirely sure how much is left to see anymore between demo and fires


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## TeeJF (Jun 1, 2012)

Thanks for the report and pix elli and thanks for the update UESW. 

That place looks "God forsaken" right now. I thought you captured that really well.


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## UEP-Wales (Jun 1, 2012)

kellisurbex said:


> Thanks, it's a great place, although not entirely sure how much is left to see anymore between demo and fires



Morning K,

There's not alot left of the estate now:




As you can tell, the main blocks left are the ones with the main fire damage so apart from the blocks with the single bedroom flats in, there's not much there, it's all going very fast!


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## onthebusescrazy (Jun 1, 2012)

Brillant Find And Brillant Piccys


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## kellisurbex (Jun 1, 2012)

Urbex-SW said:


> Morning K,
> 
> There's not alot left of the estate now:
> 
> ...



I feel very lucky to have seen it prior to all this taking place! I'm sure you're quite gutted  
K x


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## UEP-Wales (Jun 1, 2012)

kellisurbex said:


> I feel very lucky to have seen it prior to all this taking place! I'm sure you're quite gutted
> K x



Very gutted! It has been kind of cool at the same time though as I have been able to get onto site (without permission) and see it all first hand. 

A local resident, who was actually born ON the estate has stopped me many times on my way out to see what I shoot that day, I can see a tear in her eye everytime. She says herself that it would have been a shame to watch it go and not have any record of it being there, the reason that we all do what we do!


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## kellisurbex (Jun 2, 2012)

Urbex-SW said:


> Very gutted! It has been kind of cool at the same time though as I have been able to get onto site (without permission) and see it all first hand.
> 
> A local resident, who was actually born ON the estate has stopped me many times on my way out to see what I shoot that day, I can see a tear in her eye everytime. She says herself that it would have been a shame to watch it go and not have any record of it being there, the reason that we all do what we do!



Ahh that's really quite sweet, must be hard for someone like her to see it being destroyed. Does make me appreciate what we do even more though  x


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## Lucky Pants (Jul 11, 2012)

Nice pictures ,strange place looks like there was lots to see .


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## jezamon (Jul 19, 2012)

Eerie... I love it. Great photos  This isn't far from me, so may try to take a look soon...


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