Mr Brocklebank Turns Into An Estate Agent?

When I used to write most of the Brocklebank column it had an edge.
We exposed Iliad who destroyed 6 Sir Thomas St, and Maghull Developments for destroying Josephine Butler House, helping to show them up for what they were. Property doing damage had a rough ride.
Bernie Turner as a so called historic champion had a rough ride too.

I spoke to the new Mr Brocklebank only a couple of weeks ago who assured me that when he went for a free lunch with a property developer he told them "It doesn't mean that I will write anything up about you". Well said old boy.
The Old Mr Brocklebank also wrote about the destruction of all the trees in Church Street lobbed down overnight in an act of vandalsim by the council.
Even the recent disturbances left the cities trees intact.

When Canada Boulevards Maples, donated by the Canadian Government to make a honourable remembrance for Canada's war hero's, and the fallen, in the second world war, he was there writing about it. 
The outrage.

But something has come over very queer with the "New" Mr Brocklebank he now appears to be supporting property developers such as David Brewitt and Alan Beers company, Urban Edge Ltd, who want to build student boutique accommodation in the Hope Street area.
This sounds a spun up term made up by a PR company, no surprise when Jon Egan and Co at Aurora Media have been Alan Beers PR for years.

WHO’D be a property developer, eh? Mr Brocklebank says

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/mr-brocklebank/2011/08/11/mr-brocklebank-regeneration-and-renewal-in-liverpool-what-a-riot-92534-29216253/
Not only does one run the risk of seeing his properties trashed by the baying hordes of rioters who have taken to the streets of Liverpool this week, but he also runs the risk of falling foul of the mobilis vulgaris more commonly known as the planning committee.
So found David Brewitt, owner of the Hope Street Hotel, who addressed this week’s planning committee ahead of its decision on his plans to refurbish the old orphanage, on Myrtle Street.
The meeting began on a sombre note when Mr Brewitt explained that his other luxury student dwellings atop of Tesco, farther up Myrtle Street, had fallen victim to vandalism.
Important it was, he said, that we show that, as a city, we can’t be cowed and are very much open for business.
A plea that appears to have fallen on deaf ears, if the planning committee’s decision on the orphanage was anything to go by.
In what some might say was a classic “can’t see the wood for the trees” scenario, planning chairman Cllr John Mackintosh ruled that concerns over the fate of the plane trees on Myrtle Street were enough to put the £13m project on ice. Who’d be a developer, indeed?


Now I hate the way this planning committee operates but thought on this occasion common sense was being used and they were wanting to protect the trees.......simple as that.

Last week Marc Waddington who was at the planning committee meeting wrote http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/08/10/row-over-trees-puts-bid-for-luxury-liverpool-student-pads-on-hold-100252-29208619/
Council woodland and tree manager Peter Howsen said if the plan went ahead, the trees would be too close to the new build upper floors and would require excess pruning which would lead to their eventual deaths.

He argued for the development to be set back an extra two metres to protect the trees.

The week before he spun it up into an advertorial of sorts for the developers. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/08/04/13m-to-turn-liverpool-orphanage-into-posh-student-flats-100252-29174661/

The bid to bring the Grade II-listed orphanage back into use has won the support of English Heritage, subject to concerns about the retention of internal features and building materials being allayed.

Mr Brewitt said: “Historically it’s a fantastic building which will be brought back into use with minimum intervention.
“We’ve tried to take some of the ideas from boutique hotels so we aim to offer the equivalent of the Hope Street Hotel for students.
“The accommodation students get these days is quite staggering in terms of quality, but it does appeal more to overseas and postgraduate students.
“It’s about the more discerning end, the more studious students.”

The old Liverpool orphanage was set up to help the poor children of Liverpool how times change.


Lets hope Mr Brocklebank does not become a Daily Ghost PR Plumper.