Ringo Starr's birthplace saved as council backs development

Ringo Starr's former home on Madryn Street is among 200 that are being refurbished

Plans to develop the Liverpool street where Beatle Ringo Starr grew up have been approved by the city's cabinet.

Liverpool City Council has approved proposals by developers Place First to demolish and refurbish terraces in the Welsh Streets district.

Its original plans for the area were blocked when then Communities Secretary Eric Pickles overturned his planning inspector's backing for the scheme.

Starr's former home had been threatened but is now among those to be saved.

Some homes will be knocked together - including the house in Madryn Street where the drummer was born - with others to be demolished.

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The streets are known as Welsh Streets as they are named after the Welsh towns of the construction workers who built the terraces in the 19th Century.

Starr lived in the Welsh Streets before finding fame with The Beatles

Ringo Starr used to live at 9 Madryn Street - which is one of the 200 homes that would be refurbished.

The plan, which was approved by the city cabinet, sees developer Place First get a six-month exclusivity agreement to carry out surveys on the properties.

In December, the city council dropped its legal challenge over the demolition of nearly 300 homes saying it wanted to avoid "protracted" legal action.

The house is still visited by tour parties - and is covered in graffiti from Beatles fans

Ringo (second from left) found fame with the Beatles, pictured here in 1963