The Daily Peel-Trinity “Smoking” Mirrors.

Now how did I know that the Daily Ghost…..a shadow of its former self under the leadership, well if that’s what you could call it of Mark Thomas would be right behind it? Mark as understudy to Alistair Machray editor at the Oldham Echo. He may be under orders or was it out of loyalty to his sponsors of the trip to Shanghai that he edited this one in, we will never know. This appears to be an opinion others share. http://condensedthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/02/treacherous-waters.html  See Correspondents excellent take on the matter. Cue Neil Hodgson the very same journo who promoted One Park Worst on Chavasse Park (that came fourth in the National Carbuncle Cup awards) in the Daily Ghost on behalf of Grosvenor by telling the public in his report in the Echo that the development was to be 12 stories with a picture in the article showing 17. This is the level of putrid reporting that we have to endure. This is what makes in an unfair and unlevell playing field to argue conservation points on the grounds of respecting our heritage.

99% of people support the scheme to transform the abandoned docks into Dubai-On-Sea he says…..out of 284 questionnaires filled in. That makes err…lets say 280 people and that is hailed a success. Shame on you all with your invested interests, its disgraceful what you put out kidding the public. You should be ashamed.
See a comment left on the noticeboard in the rooms showing the plans on Friday last. Peels Lyndsey Ainsworth listened to my complaints about the historic bridge they were to demolish.
“We are not going to demolish it he said in his Manchester accent we are going to repair it”

“Well I read in the paper that it was to be demolished”
“Well you have got it wrong”
“A Peel surveyor said it was shot”
“Look you don’t believe what you read in the local papers do you”
“Well I believe what I read in the Salford Star they have the measure of you”
“No you shouldn’t believe anything you read in the local papers”


Here is the article………..by guess who Neil Hodgson…..the developers friend.
Bridge replacement could shut Dock Road until 2011
Apr 2 2009 by Neil Hodgson, Liverpool Echo

Bridge replacement could shut dock road until 2011
A SECTION of Liverpool’s dock road could be shut until November 2010 after the iron bascule bridge at Stanley Dock was condemned.
Docks owner Peel Holdings shut the key route between Paisley Street and Blackstone Street for a year last May to repair the badly corroded bridge, which dates back to the 1930s.
The closure hit motorists who used Regent Road as an alternative rush hour route to the parallel Great Homer Street and Derby Road.
Peel planned to complete the work in time to re-open the route – which lies within the Stanley Dock conservation area and Liverpool’s World Heritage site – next month.
But Peel Holdings development surveyor Ian Pollitt revealed that it became apparent the upper structure, which works the swing bridge, was too badly damaged to be repaired and needed to be removed.
So now the company is to submit a planning application to Liverpool council to demolish and remove the bridge and replace it with a new bridge, which Mr Pollitt said will be built elsewhere and then transported to the dock road site.
He said: “Because it is in a conservation area we have to go through a full planning application.”
A council spokesman confirmed that Peel have applied for an 18-month extension to the road closure, starting from next month when the road should have re-opened.
But Mr Pollitt said the company hopes to re-open the link much quicker: He said: “I would like to think we could take it (the bridge) out in three months and then look at installing a new fixed bridge by March next year, but we would like to think it would be sooner than that.”
However, he admitted that the timetable to install the new bridge and re-open the link could be affected by Peel’s existing plans to develop its £5.5bn Liverpool Waters scheme in the same Stanley Dock area.
“There could be a tram link over the bridge, so we have to take this into account.”
He said the cost of demolishing, removing and replacing the bridge will be “substantial” but Peel has already budgeted for it.
And he revealed that once the new fixed crossing is in place Peel hopes to hand the bridge over to the city.
A council spokesman said the extended closure was unavoidable: “It is not safe to allow traffic to go over it.”
A bascule bridge is a moveable bridge with a counterweight.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2009/04/02/bridge-replacement-could-shut-dock-road-until-2011-100252-23295226/

So we are not to believe anything that we read in the local papers then, but now keen to contribute Ainsworth says
Peel is still working on submitting its outline planning application for the scheme, but development director Lindsey Ashworth said they hoped to begin preparatory work on the site by the middle of the year when they propose to repair the Bascule Bridge over the Leeds- Liverpool canal link – which was earmarked for demolition – and re-open Regent Road, which has been closed for almost two years. He said: “A series of works are also proposed to seek to repair a number of historic buildings and structures on the site, particularly towards the north of the site.
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2010/02/03/public-consultation-produces-huge-backing-for-5-5bn-liverpool-waters-scheme-92534-25750119/

So who are we to believe…………certainly not Neil Hodgson?