Homes on gas blast site 'building new community'

The first residents have moved into new apartments built on the site where an explosion ripped through a Wirral town eight years ago.

Eighty-one people were injured in a gas explosion in New Ferry which destroyed about 60 homes and businesses in March 2017.

Pascal Blasio, who caused the explosion to claim insurance on his failing furniture business, was later jailed for 19 years.

New resident Debbie Jones said people living in the apartment blocks standing on the site of the blast were "building a new community".

"It was terrible, awful thing to happen," she said.

"I was speaking to a couple of the people who had shops here and it was devastating for them, they lost their businesses and had to start from scratch.

"It's nice now it's all regenerated," she said.

"It's a nice area loads of shops and people up and down the street, its building a new community, it's really good."

The new apartments on Boundary Road and Bebington Road are on the land where the huge gas explosion happened over eight years ago.

There are 24 one-bedroom apartments and 10 two-bedroom apartments in the first phase of the development.

The properties are a mix of affordable rent and rent to buy homes.

Wirral councillor Jo Bird said it was "brilliant" to see people moving into the area.

"This is great news for New Ferry, it's been eight long years since the devastating explosion which made dozens of people homeless and instantly destroyed half a dozen businesses on the High Street," she said.

The second phase of the development, which will see a further 43 new homes built on Woodhead St, is planned to begin later this year.

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