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

[kellisurbex]

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

 

[Mars Lander]

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

 

[kellisurbex]

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

 

[UE-OMJ]

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

 

[flyboys90]

Great photos,thanks for sharing.

 

[UEP-Wales]

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.

 

[sparky.]

brilliant report and photos thanks for sharing

 

[UrbanX]

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

 

[kellisurbex]

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.

 

[UEP-Wales]

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!​

 

[kellisurbex]

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

 

[jkon2012]

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

 

[Pedrfardd]

Great report - thanks for sharing..

 

[begbi]

Fantastic report man awesome pics love to visit myself

 

[kellisurbex]

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

 

[TeeJF]

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.

 

[UEP-Wales]

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!

 

[onthebusescrazy]

Brillant Find And Brillant Piccys

 

[kellisurbex]

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!

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

 

[UEP-Wales]

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!