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Lime Street regeneration
gets green light
THE £35 million regeneration of
Lime Street in Liverpool will go ahead after the High Court rejected a bid
by SAVE Britain's Heritage to overturn planning permission.
The scheme involves redevelopment for mixed use including commercial, retail
and leisure uses with hotel and student accommodation. It will be followed
by a proposed entertainment and media hub in the former ABC Cinema, which
would be restored.
In a judgment handed down, The Honourable Mrs Justice Patterson DBE
have dismissed the substantive application for a Judicial Review, which was
made by SAVE Britain's Heritage on the grounds that the City Council had
failed to notify the DCMS (Department for Culture Media and Sport) and
UNESCO's 'World Heritage Committee', in breach of planning guidance.
Judge Patterson rejected the claim because Historic England (formerly
English Heritage) were consulted and did not raise any objections, nor
request the scheme be called in for scrutiny by Secretary of State at the
Department for Communities and Local Government, Greg Clark.
She describes the evidence provided by the City Council at the hearing in
December 2015 as:- "impressive and clear", concluding that the local
authority had properly considered whether the scheme would have an impact on
the 'Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site.'
Judge Patterson also notes that it would cause:- "considerable
problems"
for
the World Heritage Committee; which only meets once a year; if it had to
consider all planning applications that could have an effect on the 'Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage Sites.'
Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said:-
"We were confident that we had properly and rigorously considered this
application following all of the relevant Government guidance, and it is
pleasing that the High Court has come to the same conclusion. Lime
Street is a key gateway route in the City Centre that is in desperate need
of investment and upgrading. The scheme went through a very rigorous
evaluation before being approved. We want to get on with allowing the
developers to invest in their vision and bring Lime Street up to a much
higher standard than it has been for decades and one that is fitting for a
major entry point into the City Centre. This legal move, which I believe was
based on spurious grounds, was an attempt by outside interest groups to
delay much needed regeneration, and fortunately the High Court has seen
right through it. I look forward to us now being able to crack on with
the much needed transformation of this area of the City Centre which will no
doubt act as a catalyst for further investment and development in the area."
It has not proved possible to save the facade of the former Futurist Cinema
within the new scheme, because of its poor structural condition following
deterioration over a number of years, and this decision has been accepted by
the Save the Futurist campaign group.
Mayor Anderson added:- "Considerable efforts were made to save the
Futurist including commissioning 2 surveyors' reports both of which
concluded that its condition was so poor that there was simply no way it
could be salvaged.
Our commitment to heritage has seen the number of buildings on the at risk
register at a 24 year low and some, including the Royal Insurance Building
and Stanley Dock, brought back into viable use due to our intervention.
Sadly in this case independent experts have told us that the Futurist simply
can't be saved."
Steve Parry, Managing Director of Neptune Developments, added:- "We
are pleased that the High Court has ratified the local planning decision and
found that it was made in an entirely appropriate and thorough way.
Lime Street urgently needs this project to happen. There has already been a
cost associated with a delay that has impacted on the project's financial
viability. On a positive note we have exchanged with a major fund before
Christmas and can now hopefully get on with early demolition and delivery of
a new vision for Lime Street."
What do you think about this panned re-development? Please
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News24@SouthportReporter.com with your
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