9/9/05 LIVERPOOOL, England - A city council committee has approved the
demolition of a childhood home of former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr,
despite protests from opponents of a redevelopment plan. The
council's Housing Select Committee on Thursday decided that the
property had no historical significance. The full council is expected
to make a decision on Sept. 16. The Victorian terraced house is one
of 460 properties marked for demolition for a redevelopment
project. "Ringo Starr lived in the Madryn Street house for about
three months before he moved to Admiral Grove, where he lived for
about 20 years," said Flo Clucas, the council's executive member for
housing. "John Lennon and Paul McCartney's childhood homes were
preserved because they spent a significant part of their lives in
them," Clucas said, referring to other Beatles members. Jeremy
Hawthorn, who campaigned to keep the homes, said the council
wanted "to clear working-class families out of this area to make way
for expensive housing for richer people."