Zachary Merton Convalescent Home, Woodhouse Eaves

I last visited the Zachary Merton Convalescent Home in April 2009, when it was p*ss easy to get inside. I took some photos and vowed to go back with my Brother for a better look.

My Brother came up this weekend and we headed out there today. I was dead excited and couldn't wait for my Brother to see it, so when we got up there and saw that it has been completely sealed up, I was absolutely gutted!

I understand that the place is dangerous 'cause it's full of asbestos, but why did they have to seal it up just when I wanted to show my Brother round!? How bloody rude!

So, anyway, I took some photos of the outside and some through the windows. I tried pushing every door and every sealed up entrance to see if they would give way, but they've all got huge screws and nails stuck in them so you can't even kick them in. I could have tried climbing the fire escape to see if there was any access into the building from up there, but my Mum wouldn't have let me and I wasn't gonna argue with her. She'd already bollocked me for going inside before 'cause of the asbestos!

When I got home, I looked online and found the following minutes taken from the Woodhouse Eaves Parish Council meeting in April 2009:

"There have been several refused planning applications for multiple apartments culminating in a successful and more appropriate application for 6–7 houses granted in 2008. There are currently three main problems with the site. 1. Asbestos. Police caught thieves stealing metal and discovered the presence of blue asbestos. The officers, vehicle and station custody suite had to be decontaminated. 2. Rubbish. This has accumulated because there has been no security. 3. Fire. Several fires have been set, one of which was in the lift shaft where further deposits of asbestos were discovered. The owners, who have been hard to track down, have now FINALLY promised four actions. 1. Apply immediately for demolition consent 2. Clear most of the combustible rubbish 3. Better secure the building and the site entrance 4. Assist police in any prosecutions."

So, if you fancy owning a swanky new house on the site of a former spooky old hospital, keep an eye out to see when demolition starts

Its a real shame, its the councils fault there was all that trouble there. There were applications to turn the original building into apartments years ago, but the council refused them. Apparently its not in keeping with the area to retain the original building, its better to demolish it and build houses there!

This was in the parish council minutes...
"In discussion, a member asked if the intruders were local. The site is widely advertised on the internet by people who enjoy trespassing or ghost-hunting in large empty properties and has extensive and colourful graffiti which attracts many more people."

But were explorers, ghost hunters, graffiti artists, or people going for a walk really causing all the trouble there? No, it was the local chavvy children rebelling against their rich mummy and daddy. People were coming in from council estates in the cities and were respecting the place, wheras people living in the posh nearby villages were smashing the place to bits

Shame cos it was a lovely art deco building that could have been retained and converted if the owners had their way. Now destroyed because the locals have their heads shoved so far up their backsides!

Redevelopment is planned for 2013.....

Councils are a complete and utter waste of time. They're full of short sighted uppity old people who can't see past the ends of their upturned noses. When the home closed, they should have let it be turned into smart executive flats straight away and then they wouldn't have had all of the trouble from sh*tty little chavs. If I had my way, I'd buy it, restore it to it's full glory and stick two fingers up at the people who have damaged it and the council who have let it get into such a bad state.