P h o t o B l o g

Wednesday, 29 April 2009

Canalside Apartments


These attractive new apartments overlook the Ashton Canal close to Portland Basin in Ashton.

Forty years ago the canal here was an overgrown rubbish-filled eyesore and the idea of building homes looking over it would have been unthinkable! Fortunately our canal heritage is now appreciated far more and there are people passing by on boats they have hired for their holiday.

The neat homes in turn help to improve the appearance of the area which had previously had a run-down feel.

The apartments stand on the site of the old Junction Mill, but its unusual octagonal chimney has been retained for posterity.

See LiveSearch Birds Eye View of this location.

8 comments:

  1. Great Picture, but here's the thing.
    I've said this before but it is worth repeating.
    Why they left the chimney from the Junction Mills is a mystery. In the years to come when it becomes dangerous and bricks start falling off it, just who is supposed to bear the cost of repairs?

    You are not alone, the developers in Manchester are doing the same with the Boddington's brewery chimney.

    Still, in this picture those flats look great!
    They command a great view of the Tame Valley!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Amazing what a bit of imagination can do for an otherwise derelict piece of land.

    A question for Martin - how deep is the canal?

    ReplyDelete
  3. The canal is not much more than 4 feet deep - maybe 5 or 6 in the middle. But if you fell in you might find yourself standing in wet mud on the bottom!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Martin, I've often wondered - never having seen more than an inch or so below the surface and never having wanted to find out the 'hard way'.

    It would be interesting to see what came out of the canal when it was cleaned up.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sorry - I cannot agree.
    "attractive new apartments"
    More like an eyesore to me.

    Regards
    Pete

    ReplyDelete
  6. I suspect you have forgotten how unattractive Junction Mill was in its latter days, Pete! The new flats are a considerable visual improvement!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Me forget that place - never !

    A nice patch of open parkland would have complemented the area favourably.

    It is the same case on the other side of the canal warehouse - more houses replacing a mill.

    Just because it is an urban area, that is no excuse for the authorities to fill up the vacated spaces with nowt but modern featureless apartments, especially in an area of special interest.(waterway junction,aqueduct and warehouse)

    Regards
    Pete

    ReplyDelete
  8. hi they are doing canal and water side appartments all over these days it must be the latest attraction , a lot of them look great i like the ones down salford quays , they are a vast improvement to a mucky derelict area

    ReplyDelete

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