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Architects appointed for
Wellington Rooms conditions study
PLANS to bring Liverpool's Wellington
Rooms; the former Irish Centre; back into use have taken a step forward.
The partners involved in the scheme; Liverpool City Council, Merseyside
Building Preservation Trust, the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John
Moores University; have commissioned a detailed architectural study into the
condition of the building which will provide options and costings for its
refurbishment.
It is expected that its recommendations will form the basis for a bid to
Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), Historic England and other funders to help pay for
the cost of refurbishment.
Bill Maynard from Merseyside Building Preservation Trust said:-
"OMI
Architects have been appointed following the first meeting of the Steering
Group. The group brings together representatives from the Universities,
Merseyside Building Preservation Trust and the City Council. The 1st stages of
work will be a detailed survey of the building and an initial analysis of the
various alternatives."
Andy James, Director of OMI Architects said:- "We are delighted to have
been selected to work on this prestigious project at a key moment in the history
of the building. The opportunity of carrying out a series of design studies
which will contribute to securing the future of the Wellington Rooms is one that
we are very proud of."
OMI Architects' winning team includes the following consultants: Alan Gardner
Associates:- Historic Building Surveyor; Cost Consultant: Poole Dick Associates;Hoare Lea: MEP Services; Keppie Massie: Valuation Surveyors; DP
Squared:- Structural and Civil Engineering.
The Grade II listed building; originally used for high society dance balls and
latterly as the City's Irish Centre; is situated on Mount Pleasant in the City
Centre. It closed in 1997 and subsequent regeneration proposals have failed to
get off the ground.
Plans were approved for the Wellington Rooms to become a function suite in 2002
but never implemented, while an application for it to become a hotel in 2006 and
2007 was rejected because of the detrimental impact of a three storey extension.
The University of Liverpool began working with Merseyside Building Preservation
Trust and Liverpool City Council, in 2015, on plans for a feasibility study
which could see it brought back into use as an innovation hub to give students
enterprise and entrepreneurship training, and provide office or function space
to help new businesses develop and network
Mark Kitts, Liverpool City Council 's assistant director for regeneration,
said:- "The Wellington Rooms is right at the top of our priority list for
action. It has an amazing history and is hugely important to the people of the
City. We are only at the start of what will be a long journey to return it back
to its former glory, but we are now starting to make progress in working with
partners to identify a deliverable a sustainable end use."
Can you help find James Wilson's next of kin?
SEFTON Coroner's Office have issued an
appeal for the public's help in tracing the family of a man who died at home, on
Tuesday, 29 March 2016. The 52 year old was found at his home address in Ryefield Lane, Litherland. He was identified as James Wilson and we are told
that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. James is
originally from Italy and enquiries are ongoing to locate any next of kin.
Anyone who knows who James's next of kin might be is asked to call the Coroner's
investigations officer Stephen Craig on:- 0151 777 3480. |
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Architecture students'
designs on Cemetery Chapel
A Chapel, in a Liverpool Cemetery, will
be the focus of architectural interest this week. 70 students from Northern
Universities will be visiting the South Chapel, at
Anfield Cemetery, to generate design ideas for the future of the building.
Their visit has been prompted by the Friends of Anfield's ambition for the
Chapel.
The Friends Chair, Dr Tom Bradburn explains:- "We approached John Moores
University some months ago asking if they would be interested in using Anfield
Cemetery as the location for an architecture project.Our vision is to get the cemetery off Historic England's At Risk Register and
build an International Heritage and visitor Centre by 2025. But we actually got
more than we expected from the University.
Northern Soul is a student design competition involving 10 Northern University
Schools of Architecture. They meet annually and each City takes it in turn to be
the host. It happens to be the turn of the Liverpool Universities and they have
put together a series of 1 day design workshops organised through the Royal
Institute of British Architects North West (RIBA NW) and the northern schools of
architecture. The students will work in teams on design ideas and I am sure they
will come up with some very interesting and imaginative ideas for how a heritage
centre can be developed."
The undergraduates are visiting the Cemetery, on the morning of Friday, 8 April
2016 and will then work on their designs. At the end of the day judging will take
place and prizes given out for the best ideas.
The Friends, supported by the City Council, are formulating bids to the
Architectural Heritage Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund, to help further their aims
which run alongside the £260m Anfield regeneration project.
Cannabis farm discovered in Southport
MERSEYSIDE Police have confirmed that a
cannabis farm that was discovered, on Friday, 8 April 2016, in Southport. The
discovery came at around 8.40am, when a fire broke out at a flat at Grosvenor
Road. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) who attended and extinguished
the fire, alerted the Police to the find. It's believed the property held around
50 to 60 plants. Since the find, the premises was made secure and Police say
that enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with any information on suspected cannabis
farms can call:- 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111.
Some of the signs that cannabis is being grown are:-
► Strange smells and sounds.
► Frequent and varied visitors to a property, often at unusual times.
► Gardening equipment being taken into a property, such as plant pots,
fertiliser, fans and industrial lighting.
► Windows are sealed and covered or the curtains are permanently closed.
► Heat from an adjoining property.
► Birds gathering on a roof in cold weather.
Individually these activities may seem commonplace, however, together may
indicate something more sinister. |
