Tuesday 23 February 2010

Now the Lyceum of Bold Street is to Get a Carbuncle.

They did it with the Bluecoat  which now has a giant Novotel chimney sticking out of it and today they, the council planning committee have passed contemptious passed plans to do the same to The Lyceum one of the finest neo-classical buildings in Europe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lyceum,_Liverpool  . http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/11/liverpool-novatel-tragic-addition-to.html  
The Lyceum was saved by Florence Gersten (it must have been so hard for her to argue this one) with the help of SAVE Britains Heritage http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/  who did the exhibition, TRIUMPH DISASTER and DECAY http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/03/save-exhibition-now-showing-triumph.html  which I reviewed for The Georgian issue no 1/2009 . The saving of the Lyceum is hailed as one of the successes by Marcus Binney in fact a huge one in their entire existence. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/reviews/triumph-disaster-and-decay-milkandsugar-liverpool-1630252.html  It now will be despoiled with yet more planning blight courtesy of Liverpool City Council and its ill educated planning committee http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/11/liverpool-city-council-planning.html  led by the soon to retire permanently to Southport David Irving. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/05/david-irving-planning-chairman-caught.html  An ignorant man whilst Florence was giving a brilliant detailed speech of why it was important to protect the views he did not listen and sat there talking to Nigel Lee, our Chief Planning disaster. He brought in the developers friend John Bimbow of the planning dept who sold it to them. I don’t know how this planning official can sleep at night.
Parts of the plans were needed but again its one step forward and two back in this city.
After all the fuss about Lewis’s closing http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/02/lewiss-is-to-close-300-jobs-to-go.htm  it become evident through the course of the committee meeting that the developers never had any intention for a shop there.

Some Lyceum history.
http://www.ihbc.org.uk/context_archive/28/cold_dir/cold_s.htm
Originally the Lyceum was to be demolished outrage and a massive campaign ensued.
http://www.liverpoolmonuments.co.uk/buildings/lyceum01.html

See planning application and agenda for today’s meeting.
http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/Published/C00000307/M00009420/AI00062418/$item10.docA.ps.pdf

In the world heritage buffer zone the impact on views of the Anglican cathedral will be huge.
The English Heritics offered no comments.

David Bartlett from the Daily Ghost was there but with their lead today there is no chance of anything other than a thumbs up. Lets see if he notices anything about the iconic Lyceum to now be wrapped in plastic apartments 22 storeys high. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2010/02/23/liverpool-department-store-lewis-s-set-to-close-with-the-loss-of-300-jobs-92534-25893044/
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2010/02/23/grosvenor-sells-liverpool-george-henry-lee-and-tesco-buildings-for-20m-92534-25893046/ 
The Daily Ghost claims that the shoppers deserted Liverpool but with no chance of building a business the owners of Lewis’s store were left to go downmarket to survive. Its one step forward and one back.

12 comments:

  1. Bollocks! SAVE has saved rather more than the Lyceum.

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  2. Its the Banana Republic back again. Read the article before opening said big mouth. I Quote "The saving of the Lyceum is hailed as one of the successes by Marcus Binney in fact a huge one in their entire existence." This is what it exactly says before going all hot head again. And once again do you know anything of what is happening in Liverpool or are you defending another heritage buddy of yours that you would like to be in with.

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  3. It looks pretty clear to me what is wrong with this woman...maybe she wishes she had some bollocks herself.

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  4. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2010/02/24/last-piece-of-the-planning-jigsaw-unlocks-massive-central-village-scheme-in-liverpool-city-centre-92534-25902234/

    And true to form as predicted here is stinky ink Bartletts thumbs up.

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  5. The Liverpool Preservation Trust.. how many menmbers, what sort of lawfully constituted 'Trust'... I think we should be told!

    Compared with national organisations which really have saved so much over so many years...

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  6. Nemesis the words Fruit and Cake spring to mind wouldnt you be better placed, instead of suckling up to some heritage people or architects by doing something useful with your time. Anyone can sit there pretending they know stuff about other peoples plights, in other parts of the country that you may have visited for a weekend.(Where incidently you were disgruntled by SAVE who never invited you for a drink after the Triumph, Disaster and Decay expo) Grow up and get real and stop being a Nemesis of yourself.

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  8. Nemesis. I can not be bothered with people who have nothing better to do..............

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  10. http://www.sevenstreets.com/art-and-creativity/the-bluecoat-responds/

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  11. Visiting there tomorrow to photograph the reinstatement of the Palladian vaulted ceiling in the main News Room after the removal of 'ham-fisted' Victorian alterations at roof level.

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