REFURBISHING Ringo Starr’s birthplace and almost 300 other homes would cost £22m, and not necessarily create a sustainable community, Liverpool’s council leader said last night.

Cllr Joe Anderson is writing to housing minister Grant Shapps, who demanded a re-think over plans to knock down Starr’s former home – 9 Madryn Street – and hundreds more.

Cllr Anderson insisted demolition and redevelopment remains the best option for the near-derelict Welsh Streets, in Dingle.

He said bulldozing 295 properties would cost only £800,000, compared with the estimated bill of £75,000 per house to refurbish them.

Cllr Anderson wrote: “It is doubtful any developer would consider this a good return on the extensive investment they would have to make in order to bring all the properties up to an acceptable standard, particularly as the risk of ensuring sustainable future occupancy would be high, given the experience of the last 30 years of decline.

“Another factor is whether investment in refurbishment of the Welsh Streets will actually result in the long-term sustainability of the area.

“It suffers from market failure which cannot simply be reversed by refurbishment alone.”