ONE of a handful of remaining stone-paved streets in Blackburn is being ripped up and replaced after a 30-year battle by residents.
Wellfield Road in the Corporation Park Conservation Area was originally laid with oblong smooth ‘setts’ in the 1880s – as were most streets in the town.
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After years of hard wearing, the surface has declined so badly many people think the road is actually paved with ‘cobbles’ – the medieval round small stones used to make highways, especially hilly streets, easier for horses to use.
Now residents and Blackburn with Darwen Council have agreed that the stone paving will be dug up and replaced with a modern Tarmac surface at a cost of £75,000, initially paid for the by borough.
Because the road is currently a private highway, the 42 residents will pay back between £2,000 to £5,000 each over 10 years, after which the council will ‘adopt it’ and pay for its maintenance and repair.
Borough regeneration boss Maureen Bateson and Blackburn Local History Society chairman Ray Smith believe there are now just a handful of roads still laid with Victorian stone setts.
The rest have been replaced or covered over with Tarmac to accommodate the vehicles that have replaced the horse and carriage in the last century Corporation Park councillor Arshid Mahmood said: “This is long overdue. The road is in a dreadful state.
“Residents have been asking for this for 30 years but the problem was who paid.
“Two years ago, we asked residents to sign a petition and 90 per cent asked the council to act. It set aside £75,000 and then we had to get all the residents to agree to pay.
“After discussion, they agreed to pay between £2,000 and £5,000, to be reclaimed over 10 years.
“It will save them on car repair bills and add as much as £10,000 to house values.”
Wellfield Road resident Ayyub Patel said: “We are delighted. It’s well worth.”
Coun Bateson said: “It is much needed. There are just a handful of stone-paved streets left in Blackburn.”
Mr Smith said: “There are not many Victorian streets still paved with setts. With the modern motor car it is time for them to go.”
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