Green Property-In Private Eye, Over India Buildings

It is a well deserved mention that Green Property get in Private Eye.
The lack of care and direction that they have shown in being the custodian of one of Liverpool's historic buildings has been brought to the attention of a wider audience by 'Piloti' in the NOOKS AND CORNERS section.
Piloti says the original title of this column was "Nooks and Corners of the NEW BARBARISM" and there has been plenty of barbarism described here over the years. Much of it emanated from Liverpool and alas, there is more.

Just who is the Liverpool 'Piloti' where does he get his concise information from and how come there is so much to write about Liverpool.

We thank 'Piloti' for helping to expand the Architectural Barbarism that is commonplace in Liverpool to a wider audience.

click on pic to read article 

Green Property Issue A Statement on India Building.

Mike Tapp of Green Property Group issued a statement as the proposed demonstration over their handling of one of Liverpool's Historic properties was to go ahead. The first paragraph says "Protests are the stuff of democracy and I am sure Wayne and his colleagues wont seek to disrupt other occupiers of the building, nor harm its fabric in any way".  First of all  Dewhurst the Joiner is sent out to vandalise India Buildings bronze fitments, with the removal of 6 architectural fittings that were removed without planning permission,  and then he insults the intelligence of those protesting by asking them not to harm the fabric. THEY WERE THE PEOPLE PROTESTING AGAINST HIM. You couldn't make this up. Whether his press statement was prepared by him or Dougal Paver who Green have employed to mitigate the situation is not clear. But the thing that is clear is that a lot of people turned up, over a hundred some a bit late or early and they all signed the SOS "Save Our Shops petition". Green made further,  comments in this statement regarding giving rent free periods to other shopkeepers and help with their fit outs, which is a nonsense.  They did give Robert Wade-Smith a rent free period while other shopkeepers struggled, oh and they replaced a foot of skirting board and layed some carpet tiles for him. Big Expense for sure, they are so generous Green Property of Berkeley Square London. Was Robert Wade Smith their consultant who said there was no use for the shops in Holt's Arcade and they should be made into offices?  Was he wrong to think he had any credibility left after his company went into liquidaton leaving debts to local companies.  Holts Arcade shopkeepers welcomed him even though it appeared he was plotting to bring "Brands" to Liverpool's Historic India Building. http://waynecolquhoun.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/wade-smith-comes-to-india-buildings.html 

But Green helped him without helping the tenants that had been there for decades, in most cases completely ignoring them.

The peaceful demonstration was publicised in the Liverpool Echo the next day.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/12/06/peaceful-protest-over-possible-closure-of-arcade-in-liverpool-s-india-buildings-100252-32371699/

It was good to see so many people who love this building making themselves heard and sending a clear message to Green Property that this is our history they are trying to damage.

Further reading

Now they say they are investing, funny they said that 4 years ago

http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news/archive/3148-cbre-advises-green-on-india-buildings-revand.html

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/11/23/u-turn-on-blunder-at-liverpool-s-india-buildings-100252-32290010/

23.11.12

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/11/22/fears-for-future-of-liverpool-s-landmark-india-buildings-100252-32281873/


http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2012/11/22/future-of-india-buildings-in-doubt-after-liverpool-council-cautions-owners-over-illegal-removing-of-entrance-plaques-99623-32280635/

One local blogger has it http://condensedthoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/green-propertys-shabby-treatment-of.html

India Building Mutiny by Green Property Group

Peter Elson unfurls his sails and puts on a head of steam over the disgusting act of Vandalism perpetrated by Green Property Group on the Main Entrance to India Building.
Its bad enough they just seem to be running the building down but to then vandalise it.
It now transpires that Mike Tapp and Co, of, The Greed Property Group, the vandals of India Buildings have done so much damage when Dewhurst the joiner was ordered to remove the architectural fitments, that four of the six can no longer be replaced as they were, instead they are having to employ architects to find a way to re-instate them........ or face criminal proceedings from the City Council, who seem to be taking this very seriously indeed, and so they should.
It is hard to believe that educated people could do this to such a wonderful example of Herbert Rowse architecture.
All the warning signs were there for some time and it had not gone unoticed by some.
No one would have believed any sane person would wish to desicrate such a historic landmark in Liverpools World Heritage Site when Liverpool is on the Unesco World Heritage Site "In Danger" list.
http://condensedthoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/answers-needed-over-india-buildings.html

It has caused unprecedented local press attention.
http://www.baytvliverpool.co.uk/vod/?vid=JBV50b38ff3c9d65




22.11.12
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/11/23/u-turn-on-blunder-at-liverpool-s-india-buildings-100252-32290010/

23.11.12
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/11/22/fears-for-future-of-liverpool-s-landmark-india-buildings-100252-32281873/


http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2012/11/22/future-of-india-buildings-in-doubt-after-liverpool


Lets hope that the owners of India Building now realise what they have and start to think about their responsibility.

Green Property Group Vandalise Liverpools Historic India Buildings.

 This is what happens when ignorant people with no respect for the past get hold of one of Liverpool’s historic gems.


India buildings is one of Liverpool’s jewels and has always been held in the highest regard it is Grade II listed and an application has now been made to upgrade this to Grade II *.
The conservation officer is Wendy Morgan, so it is not in good hands.
Monday last a member of the public alerted the Conservation department of the City Council and bloody ‘ell they dealt with the matter and cautioned the owners for the criminal act of removing six historic bronze plaques from the arched entrance way of the Water Street Entrance to India Buildings in no time at all.

Chris Griffiths the City Council buildings At Risk officer was made to do a bit of work and a letter was sent to Green Property telling the vandals to re-instate the plaques forthwith.

The speed and efficiency of this astounded us. Chris Griffiths has done a good job here.

The tradesman who took the plaques off served his time with Dewhursts….the butchers.............. well he must have done as seeing the mess of the studs bent over in the hand carved Portland Stone pillars and the holes in the wall was hard to bear.

Jonathan Brown of the Merseyside Civic Society said "It is the desecration of a city jewel”.


What is also apparent is that the out of town owners, what can be worse than Irish Investors based in London with Manchester agents, want to close Holts Arcade which is also Grade II listed thus denying the public access to it.

Holts arcade was built over the original Chorley Street that was taken over to build the huge City block style building designed by Liverpool’s favourite architect Herbert Rowse who also built the Philharmonic Hall and the amazing Martins Bank also in Water Street.

The Daily Post had it as its front page. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2012/11/22/future-of-india-buildings-in-doubt-after-liverpool-council-cautions-owners-over-illegal-removing-of-entrance-plaques-99623-32280635/ Peter Elson doing the reporting.

And the Echo did a full page http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/11/22/fears-for-future-of-liverpool-s-landmark-india-buildings-100252-32281873/ followed up with a sort of response from Mike Tapp and Co of Greed Property Group.
The history of India Buildings is immense. The Echo ran another page the publics response is clear.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/11/23/u-turn-on-blunder-at-liverpool-s-india-buildings-100252-32290010/

 Today in NW Businessweek a press release from Dougal Paver, who have now been asked to mitigate the situation, was written up by


By James Graham
THE owners of Liverpool's landmark India Buildings are promising a "significant" investment to attract new tenants.
Mike Tapp, a director of London-based Green Property, said the company plans to attract large firms to the Grade II-listed building, which is home to law firm DLA Piper.
He said: “The sort of companies who’d be attracted to a building of this stature will be ones who want to balance a modern working environment with the pleasure that comes from being in such a lovely space.
“They’d run a mile if we didn’t do a proper job of conserving its fabric and that’s what we intend to do. We’ve got architects and heritage advisors supporting us and, of course, the conservation officers in the council. I’m looking forward to revealing our plans in due course.”
The commitment came after a report in the Liverpool Post said the company had been cautioned by the city council for illegally removing eight bronze entrance plaques.
The report also claimed Green Property was planning to close Holts Arcade in the building and convert the shop units into office space.
Mr Tapp said: “The fact is that shopping patterns in Liverpool’s business district have shifted now that Liverpool One has brought the retail heart up to the edge of the office district.
"The area doesn’t generate the footfall it used to, either, as there have been some major relocations from the vicinity to around St. Paul’s Square. We’re keeping a close eye on things, but it’s not in our shareholders’ interests to offer a product to the market that isn’t viable.”
Until 2005 the building was home to the passport office. Earlier this year law firm Weightmans moved out for a new base at The Plaza on Old Hall Street.
The 350,000 sq ft building was built between 1924 and 1932 for Alfred Holt's Blue Funnel Line.
It is interesting to note that we have been informed that Mike Tapp of Green Property Group sanctioned the removal of the plaques.

Here is yesterday with a bucket in Holts Arcade collecting water(for the third time) after another leak sprung through the vaulted ceiling.

What a great way to attract tenants.

John Hinchliffe Liverpool World Heritage Officer Steps Down-Good Riddance.

This is the man who got us on the World Heritage "At Risk" Register, then like a rat jumping ship, he buggers off and take the redundancy money.

You have to question the credibility of a man who has been a complete waste of space. Who has stood idly by while the Pier Head was decimated with modern rubbish and he was paid to defend it all.

Lets hope he can sleep at night.

Where was he when they destroyed Manchester Dock? 

 Nowhere hiding under his desk.

Where was he when they filled in Trafalger Dock?

Same Desk.

Where was he when the plans were passed for the three black slugs at mann Island.

Negotiating with the developers instead of laying down in front of the bulldozers.

On World Heritage matters he had Backbone of a jellyfish, a poodle who liked getting his tummy tickled by the developers.
He was a plant by the previous council administration who as soon as the ink was dry on the WHS inscription set about destroying it.
Lets hope he can sleep at night.

So Uncle JOE ANDERSON Has now removed another  obstacle for Peel Holdings.e

Here is a compilation of some of his worst bits.

He was flown over to Shanghai at the cost f 6 grand to tout the destruction of the WHS

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/john-hinchliffe-and-6000-freebie.html

He is a complete waste of space very often working against the public who pay his purse http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/john-hinchliffe-tries-to-shaft-us.html

He was supposed to educate the public but lacked the education or the gumption himself

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/liverpools-world-heritage-education-nil.html

One thing he was good at was shuffling paper

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/liverpool-waters-dcms-world-heritage.html

Pearls before Swine
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/liverpools-world-heritage-site-pearls.html

Was he paid by English Heritage
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/english-heritage-slam-liverpool-waters.html

He was a poodle for Council Leaders with "cosy" developer friends

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/world-heritage-steering-group-what.html

A COMPLETE WASTE OF SPACE

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/John%20Hinchliffe?updated-max=2010-04-09T12:58:00%2B01:00&max-results=20&start=20&by-date=false

BUT WHO IS NOW GOING TO REPLACE HIM probably another compliant who will be just as bad.......how convenient for Peel Holdings.

Langton Dock Pumping Station Amongst The Top 10 Endangered Structures In Britain

Langton Dock pumphouse in Merseyside is one of the buildings at risk of being lost forever, according to the Victorian Society. Photograph: John Hake/Victorian Society

A palatial pumphouse, an immense stone spillway and a London roundabout are among the 10 most threatened Victorian and Edwardian structures in England and Wales, according to a list published on Wednesday.

The list, compiled by the Victorian Society, also includes an abandoned railway station in Derbyshire, an ivy-shrouded mortuary chapel in Salford and the country's first lending library, housed in Swindon's Mechanics Institute – all of which have fallen into a shocking state of disrepair.

The publication follows a widespread appeal to find the best and most at risk buildings in England and Wales, with historians, enthusiasts and local campaigners suggesting endangered structures in their area.

"The public responded enthusiastically to our call for threatened buildings," said Chris Costelloe, director of the Victorian Society. "It shows the public cares – but it also shows there are still too many historic buildings at risk, without recognition or protection."


http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/oct/18/victorian-society-threatened-buildings?intcmp=239
read more here


So while Peel Holdings are telling us how wonderful it will be to have Liverpool Docks turned into yuppie flats this is the reality, quality buildings going to rack and ruin.
We broughtthis to the attention of HenryOwen-John who passedit over to Graham Ives of the English Heretics who have stood idly by as it slowly gets worse.
It is in Sefton Council juristiction and their conservation officer seems worse than Steve Corbett the bunch of conservation (sic) officers who do nothing at Liverpool Council.

Liverpool Football Club Are Responsible for the Decline Of The Anfield Area

It used to be a lovely area in the 60s. Yes it was poor, but the people of Anfield were proud. There was a community spirit in Stanley Park with its boating lake and its huts that were used in the summer holidays to run drafts and chess classes for children.


There used to be a massive clock set in a small raised ground area, made of flowers sponsored by Ogden’s the local tobacco manufacturers. The hands of the clock used to move at 12 pm. People used to gather there for the event on a sunny day.

The poverty was real, parts of the area was a slum area for sure, there were still bombed buildings from the war, but gradually some of the houses around the ground come up for sale. Absentee landlords who had in fact commissioned roads on mass had owned huge swathes. These houses had a lifespan and they needed a refurbishment.

But then Liverpool football club started buying up property in the immediate vicinity to Anfield and boarding them up. In the 70s and 80s they were ruthless in their approach. It was claimed they would just wait for the people to die and then make an offer over the odds that could not be refused. We are talking about seven grand at the time, the same house would sell for between ten and twenty times that price.

While Liverpool’s financial fortunes crested to sums that are beyond the imagination of many of the working class people in the city, the football club watched with no community spirit. Fending off claims with their lawyers from aggrieved citizens who felt helpless, even though the support for Liverpool Football Club was and is in the hearts of these people. BUT NOW SOME SAY........... THIS IS A FIELD..

So while Liverpool FC pay out wages of, it is said, £60,000 a week to some players they spent less than sixty quid on the area that they own until it is to the stage when one can say…………..
It is a disgrace what Liverpool Football club have done to the once proud community of Anfield.

Now Joe Anderson and Co have got together for another press release stating that the city council and Liverpool FC are now to redevelop the area.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/10/15/liverpool-fc-to-stay-at-anfield-timeline-of-the-lfc-stadium-saga-since-2000-100252-32027261/
How many times have we heard this? At least the stupid plan to build a new stadium on Stanley Park appears to have been scuppered.

So the local journalists many of them to young to recall the empty promises of past years lap it up, and hey presto the area has a positive spin on it.

Two months ago someone daubed, in thick white paint on the gable end of a building in full prominence
JOE ANDERSON IS A TRAITOR………this was removed within the day and was not mentioned in the local press.

So when hearing about another area that is to be errrrrrrr…. regenerated remember that Liverpool Football club speaks with forked tongue and we have heard it all before and the franchise, as the American owners say, is more than that to some people it is their lives their existence.
If the greedy fat cat executives at the football club http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/10/15/liverpool-fc-managing-director-ian-ayre-hails-massively-important-day-for-lfc-and-whole-anfield-area-100252-32034196/ were made to live there for a week they would soon realise the damage that Liverpool FC along with consecutive council leaders have done to this once proud area.

Some poor unfortunate people of the Anfield area may think and believe regeneration is a matter of life and death...... but to some it is more important than that, its a press release to help their careers.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/10/15/liverpool-fc-to-stay-at-anfield-timeline-of-the-lfc-stadium-saga-since-2000-100252-32027261/

Cllr Malcolm Kennedy Spins Marc Waddington another One...Just Like The Other One.

When are the local hacks going to realise that they are not PR for the council and are not there to make councillors look good with empty promises and PR spin.

This time its Marc Waddingtons turn to make Malcolm Kennedy, Liverpools Regeneration officer (who has not regenerated anything but his own career)  look good, with twaddle about a fifteen year plan to transform Islington.

He says:

LIVERPOOL’S Islington district is in line for a multi-million pound face lift over the next decade.
There are plans to transform up to 1.5m square metres of land with hotels, houses and offices in a bid to revamp one of the main routes into the city.
The council and developer Downing hope that the growing demand for high-quality student accommodation and the need for homes for ‘key workers’ like nurses and doctors will help stimulate the project.

All speculation Mr Waddington, but there you are making the council look as if they are doing good, getting all the (rigged by the council) comments section on the corrupted Echo website wound up, on Downing developments behalf.

He goes on to say: 
The plans, originally conceived in 2005, were shelved in 2007, when it became difficult to raise finance for the scheme because of the credit crunch.
THE plan for the multi-million pound regeneration of Islington was progressing well before it became one of the many development victims of the credit crunch.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/10/04/15-year-masterplan-for-regeneration-of-liverpool-s-islington-gateway-100252-31962120/
(Our understanding is that the credit crunch started in 2008 Marc).
Are the council somehow subsidising Downing?

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/councillor-malcolm-kennedy-manipulating.html
So is Kennedy Manipulating the press
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/david-bartlett-takes-city-council-to.html
Or are they all in on it togther
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/peel-holdings-running-liverpool-city.html
What has Malcolm Kennedy actually done.

So why are we being spoon fed with half thought out ideas by Marc Waddington and co at the Oldham Echo about creating jobs, when they have just put all the Merseymart delivery boys out of a job.
All those old blokes who used to be kept busy with their trolleys, are now down the pub every Thursday and Friday drowning their sorrows with nowhere to go just because they now give it away free in the Echo........... er, hang on......... you have to buy an Echo to get a free paper.

It just gets worse.
Soon you will get a free Post in the Echo and its likely it will be full of he sae old ouncil spin that nobody believes anymore.

Save Eldon Grove

100 years after it was bult here it lies rotting when it should be restored. Opened in 1912 by the Countess of Derby it was Grade II isted in 1985 by English Heritage as a structure of national importance. There have been several attempts to put schemes together to bring it back to life but these have come to nothing. While the City Council are working with subsidy farmers Peel Holdings to develop Liverpool Waters, Eldon Grove rots away. Should it be CPO'd befoe it is too late.

PEEL HOLDINGS £31 MILLION PUBLIC SUBSIDY FOR PORT SALFORD

We take the opportunity to inform Liverpool public how public subsidies are being used to ship Liverpool Dockers jobs out of the city.

PEEL HOLDINGS £31 MILLION PUBLIC SUBSIDY FOR PORT SALFORD
 http://www.salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=1493


Star date: 11th September 2012
HUGE PUBLIC SUBSIDIES FOR PEEL – IN RETURN FOR HOW MANY JOBS?
`wild claims and job figures that venture into the realms of fantasy…Like, the implication that Port Salford will wipe out two thirds of unemployment in the city…'
Yesterday Salford Council signed a £30million agreement with Peel Holdings for the development of Port Salford and its new infrastructure. Peel has also had almost one million Euros from Europe for its plans.
In return for near £31million of public grants and loans Port Salford is supposed to create jobs – but the figures vary wildly from just over 1,000 jobs to over 10,000 jobs. Like MediaCityUK was going to provide 15,500 jobs, yet again, this is all based on gobbledygook…

Full story here…

PORT SALFORD PART 2
Calculating jobs is all so easy…
AI = [GI x (1-L) x (1-Dp) x (1-S) x M] – [GI x (1-L) x (1-Dp) x (1-S) x M]
This is the simple equation that Amion Consultants, acting on behalf of Peel Holdings, has used to work out the amount of jobs that might be created at Port Salford, Peel's massive road, rail and Manchester Ship Canal project in Irlam.
The final figure is worked out by `employee per square metre' and then slapping in `net additional impact' (Al), `gross impact' (Gl), `leakage' (L), `displacement' (Dp), `substitution' (S) and `multiplyer' (M). It's all very scientific. Until you realise that virtually every document you look at regarding jobs at Port Salford comes up with a different figure.
This particular equation comes up with a total of 3,067 jobs for Phase 1 of Port Salford. Which is a bit of an increase from the Port Salford planning application from 2009, when there were only 1,170 jobs on offer. And slightly different from Peel's own website which states that the Port will generate "3,858 gross permanent jobs". The figures vary by over 2,500 jobs.
Does it matter? Very much so! Because Peel Holdings – one of the richest companies in the country, run by tax exile John Whittaker, the 29th richest person in Britain (who saw his personal wealth grow by £100million last year according to the Sunday Times Rich List) - is using Salford's poverty to gain million of pounds of public money and to destroy the Green Belt in the process.
Yesterday, Salford Council finally approved the agreement to hand over £30million of public money to Peel Holdings for the Port Salford scheme. Within that is a £4million grant from Salford Council, plus an £11million loan for infrastructure which is costing the Council £360,000 per year in repayments for the first five years.
Meanwhile, the Government's Department for Business Skills and Innovation's Regional Growth Fund is chipping in another £15million, and Europe's Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency (TEN-T EA) has handed over a grant of 998,125 euros for viability studies.
When Salford Star first broke the story of the £30million grants last November (see here), the then Leader of Salford Council, John Merry, justified the payments in terms of jobs.
"This is great news for the city and puts us another step closer to creating 3,800 new jobs for the region" he said "We want to make a wide range of job opportunities available for the people in Salford and I am pleased that this conditional offer means we are getting closer to realising our vision."
According to the Amion equation, of 3,067 jobs it optimistically reckons will be created by Port Salford, only 730, mainly unskilled, low paid jobs will be created for Salford people. And if it pans out that there are only 1,170 jobs, as originally claimed, that would be only around 250 Salford jobs – for millions of pounds worth of investment.
But this is just the first phase of Port Salford that's not even been built yet. Peel Holdings is currently pushing for its future 100 hectare expansion into the Green Belt, with wild claims and job figures that venture into the realms of fantasy…Like, the implication that Port Salford will wipe out two thirds of unemployment in the city…
"If Salford residents with the relevant occupation were able to access the jobs created by the total Port Salford project then there is the potential for up to 63% of claimants within Salford (5,100) to find employment through the Port Salford project" states Amion's Port Salford: Employment, Gross Value Added and Business Rates Impact Paper.
Does anyone, even its authors, seriously believe that? Another wild, mad claim is that an expanded Port Salford, which would be three times the size of Phase 1, would have positive health impacts.
The same Amion `Impact Paper', almost weeping for Salford's working class, implies that Port Salford will bring down the area's shocking mortality rate through giving people what it calls `elementary occupations'.

"It can be seen that residents in the area around Port Salford have very poor average health levels" it states "It is widely acknowledged that economic deprivation has a major impact on health…"
It's also widely acknowledged that concreting over the Green Belt and letting loose 3,780 HGVs per day on the approach roads, plus freight trains thundering past, isn't good for people's health either. But that isn't mentioned.
Salford Council is currently (hopefully) opposing the intended expansion of Port Salford, during this month's `Core Strategy' Planning Inspector hearings at Swinton (see previous Salford Star article Part 1 – click here).
No doubt Peel will be rolling out these `Impact' papers, showing how 10,000 jobs will be created, if only it could concrete over the city's Green Belt.

Peel is using Salford's deprivation figures to squeeze public money and Salford's green heritage in return for jobs. The same arguments were used for MediaCityUK, when the hype suggested 15,500 jobs would be created. Hmmm. What was it? 16 jobs at the BBC for Salford people?

The job figures for Media City were worked out using similar gobbledygook…

AI = [GI x (1-L) x (1-Dp) x (1-S) x M] – [GI x (1-L) x (1-Dp) x (1-S) x M]

Justice For The 96-It Now Has To Be Seen To Be Done.

A lie gets round the world before the truth has put his trousers on.

                                                                                                         Mark Twain

How they tainted our name as Liverpudlians after the tragic events that unfolded during a football match in Hillsborough, that fateful day when the misery of so many peoples lives, ordinary peoples lives, would be sealed with grief.

After a monumental mistake by the Police Officer in charge to crowd an area of Leppings Lane by wrongly opening a gate, flooding an area of the ground that led to a tunnel that led to death for the 96.

How they lied. People, who should be trusted, lied through their teeth.

Yesterday the vindication began with an apology from the Prime Minister, Sheffield Council and the current Chief Constable who now should start proceedings against all the coppers who altered their statements.

Thatcher should be rolled out in her wheelchair and made to slobber an apology to the families of the 96 and to Liverpool as a whole because we all know it came from the top.

We commiserate with all the families who lost loved ones and all of us who have been traumatised in some way or another over those tragic events of manslaughter on what should have been a happy sporting occasion. We all knew someone or if we didn’t personally we now know those brave people who fought for justice for the 96 and the city as a whole.

They have cleared the name of their families, and our name with their resilience in the wake of tragedy. They are an inspiration to us all.

They did it with no money, against the full force of the State that let us down.

The State that we funded from our taxes to spread lies and cheat its way through a legal process that was floored, with its old boys network of incompetent Judges and Coroners who made up their own rules right under the nose of the government.

The last Labour government and particularly Jack Straw could have re-opened the inquiry and he never.

Trevor Hicks calmly said yesterday “If the State doesn’t bring them to justice, we will”.

He also called the Lying Scum editor of the Sun at the time whose name will not be mentioned here, that spread the lies a “Low Life”



So hopefully this is the beginning of the end for us all, those families will never get over the tragic day, but this will give some of them the first chance for a couple of decades to allow them to say Rest In Peace.

When you hear the words from the hymn that has become Liverpool’s anthem, remember, as you shed a tear, that,

When you walk through a Storm, Hold your head up high,

Those words means so much to us, its an inspiration that helps us through those darkened days when it seems the end is not in sight.

There can never be a golden sky at the end of the storm that was Hillsborough but all we ever wanted was The Truth.

English Heritage Lambast Liverpool Council Over Liverpool Waters Planning Application.

Subject: Re: Liverpool Waters, L3 - Application (10O/2424)

Link to Planning Committee Agenda. Liverpool Waters Item 11 last item

http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=307&MId=12861&Ver=4

This is a document that is important to Liverpool people, here it is buried, slyly, in a big news week when people, quite rightly,  have immense issues such as Justice for the 96 on their minds. The council give 5 days notice to the public to decipher this vast amount of information............They are disgraceful.

Why dont they just give us something that befits Liverpools Heritage status instead of Trafford Park-On-Mersey.

 English Heritage say " In our view the Liverpool WHS and the wider docks present an ideal opportunity for economic, social and environmental gains that could be achieved jointly and simultaneously. Unfortunately It is clear to us that Liverpool Waters has failed to take the opportunity"   What a wasted opportunity its as if the City Council are being manipulated by Peel Holdings.   But when this goes to the Sec of State there can only be one outcome a Public Inquiry and as EH say that their planning Lawyers have advised that they doubt that the conditions are legally sustainable.   The planning committe have the chance to reject documents that EH say maybe illegally drafted documents. But will they?  

You need to read the full document but here are English Heritage conclusions. 

John Whittaker-The Words The Liverpool Echo Wants To Censor.

What is wrong with adding the word Whittaker to an article about a letter sent by John Whittaker about Liverpool Waters the scheme that has put Liverpool on the World Heritage In Danger list. Most people have known its Trinity "Smoking" Mirror with a vested interest but how bad is this when they open up a forum and the censor it. To those in the know, to call this tacky little toerag a paper has always been stretching it but now in the Internet age they are playing all the usual tricks. Remember when they did not print an article about the Duke of Westminster the biggest landowner in the city centre allegedly being named as a £2000 a night "escort" user. It was all over the national papers and not a dicky bird in the Daily Ghost. No wonder it died a slow death because most people knew it had been corrupted. Polluted by the stench of invested interests that should not be allowed in village Liverpool. 

So now you cant mention the name of another property mogul in a weak livered press capsule that is so full of invested interests that it stinks to high water.  http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/08/22/liverpool-waters-skyscraper-scheme-could-start-in-2013-100252-31670478/ This is the article try it yourself................try and get past the censors at Trinity Smoking Mirror Groups joke of an online forum.

We were sent this picture and asked to highlight it.

The article by Malcolm Kennedy the great city council regenerators mate David Bartlett and contains a link to a letter probably written by Lindsey Ashworth but signed by John Whittaker. http://blogs.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/dalestreetblues/2012/08/in-full-peel-chairman-john-whi.html

No wonder nobody buys the garbage that they print and even the free stuff on the Internet is manipulated, what a disgrace. In this day and age the people of Liverpool are far too wise than to let the despicable people who pick their own news dictate to them what they can and cant write. 

And to think this was in response to John Whittaker as head of Peel Holdings being called out in the commons by Jack Straw

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-18100996

A property developer has used "legal subterfuge" to try to force through redevelopment plans for a Lancashire retail park, claims Jack Straw MP.

The Blackburn MP was leading a Commons debate on Peel Holdings' bid to sell a greater variety of goods at Whitebirk, between Blackburn and Accrington.

He said it could "undermine" government plans to rejuvenate town centres.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/9836827.Jack_Straw___s_concern_on_Whitebirk_retail_park/

Here is what the Lancashire Telegraph has to say. click on the links.

In the meantime most Trinity "Smoking" Mirrors, local Editors are out to lunch with Peel Holdings lapping up the dog biscuits discarded at the top table by Joe Anderson and Peels invisible Chinese Investors telling everyone how great they are when they are not.
A disgrace they should be ashamed of themselves in bringing down the name of journalism to a cowardly level.


http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2012-05-16d.662.0  Here is the full debate because you wont get it in the Echo.

David

A Huge Panel Come Off The Travelodge In Liverpools World Heritage Site.

Less than a year after its built and its falling to bits. The Travelodge at the Pier Head. They promised us a landmark building............not a pock marked building and this is what we have a tacky http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/travelodge-for-liverpools-world.html Travelodge with a Tesco. Here is a picture today showing just how well its constructed it now is. Was someone hurt? Did it fly off in the middle of the night? Did they remove it before it injured someone?  Either way its just not good enough for Liverpools World Heritage Site...and its reputation, hang on, do Liverpool planners have a reputation?  Last year the Malmaison http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/liverpool-malmaison-facade-is-falling.html had to be reclad when some tilehanger decided to do a dodgy job. Then there was a huge panel that blew off the Unity building, we thought it would last at least 10 years before bits fell off. Oh and the City Loft building that saw a huge 100kg panel blow out. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/alexanra-tower-100kg-pane-of-glass.html And Peel Holdings are planning Dubai-On-Mersey in the now Unesco World Heritage Site that is on the "In Danger" list.

Councillor Malcolm Kennedy Manipulating The Liverpool Echo.

Here is todays news from David Bartlett with a headline in the Echo "City's Historic Gems Protected". You have to laugh

West Derby Village and Princes Park conservation areas to be extended

pic courtesy of the Oldham Echo.
Two conservation areas in Liverpool will be extended to give extra protection to more houses and other properties.

It is obvious that this has been fed hook line and silver spoon to David from Malcolm Kennedy who seems to get away with rather too much of late.

More than 100 buildings in West Derby Village and two leafy roads lined with Victorian villas in Princes Park, Toxteth, are to be included in the conservation areas.

Today, Liverpool council’s ruling Labour cabinet will approve the extension, subject to there being no objections during a statutory 21-day consultation period.

Cllr Malcolm Kennedy, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “This plan will give additional protection to the heritage of these beautiful areas.

“They are much-loved parts of the city and the feedback we had from the consultation has been very positive.”

At West Derby, the extension will take in another 17 listed buildings as well as the ancient monument site of the Norman Castle and extend protection to streets which retain the character and pattern of the 19th- century village. It will encompass the existing West Derby Village Conservation Area with an extension southwards to include most of the property on Hayman’s Green, Eaton Road North, part of Crosby Green and a longer section of Mill Lane.
It will also extend farther westwards to include the West Derby Community Centre, Field House and the Margaret Beavan School. The Castle Field and St Mary’s Rectory to the north will also be included.
At Princes Park, the conservation area will be extended to include Greenheys Road and Bentley Road, following a request by local residents, supported by councillors, through the Greenheys Road Forum
Houses in these roads were built in the mid-Victorian period and have a complementary character and history to the rest of the conservation area.
The city has 35 conservation areas covering 1,005 hectares (about 9% of the city area) and protecting some 19,000 properties.
Conservation area status does not prevent new developments, but means extra protection for buildings.
Any proposed demolition of buildings is subject to greater controls with a presumption that there should be no demolition of architecturally or historically significant buildings.
There is greater consideration given to the design of new buildings and structures in planning decisions.
Minor works, not normally subject to planning permission, such as replacing windows and adding minor extensions, are subject to greater controls.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/08/17/west-derby-village-and-princes-park-conservation-areas-to-be-extended-100252-31640157/

This is Orwellian, and David who is not paid to think should know better because by doing this sort of inadequate reporting it lets the council off the hook.

So lets just look at the situation

Liverpol has seven Conservation areas at risk here they are

Castle Street, Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside

Ogden Close, Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside


Derwent Square, Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside

Newsham Park, Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside

Duke Street, Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside

Stanley Dock, Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside

Princes Road, Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside

So Malcolm Kennedy is extending a Conservation area that is on English Heritage Conservation Area At Risk register.

Asset Type: Conservation Area at Risk

Name: Princes Road, Liverpool

District/London Borough: Liverpool

County: Merseyside

Region: North West

Designation: Conservation Area

Condition: Poor

Vulnerability: Medium

Trend: Deteriorating

New Entry: No

http://risk.english-heritage.org.uk/register.aspx?id=5072&rt=0&pn=1&st=a&ctype=all&crit=liverpool

Mr Kennedy is out of control.

Holy Trinity Church on Breck Road, Liverpool Put On English Heritage "At Risk Register.

Holy Trinity Church on Breck Road, Liverpool has had a roof, gutters and downpipes and the high level stonework all in a poor state of repair. It has received funds for conversion of undercroft for use of social organisations, which will help in keeping the building in continual use.






Asset Type: Place of Worship at Risk

Name: Holy Trinity Church

Street: Breck Road

District/London Borough: Liverpool

Locality: Walton Breck

County: Merseyside

Parliamentary Constituency: Liverpool, Walton

Region: North West

Designation: Grade II listed building

Designation CA: Yes

List Entry Number: 1280619

Condition: Poor

Priority Category: D

New Entry: Yes

Owner Type: Religious organisation

Contact: Tim Wilkins 0161 242 1419

http://risk.english-heritage.org.uk/register.aspx?id=5564&rt=1&pn=1&st=a&ctype=all&crit=liverpool

Liverpool Waters To Go Back To The Planning Committee In September.

Liverpool Waters plans are just a badge on the wall in the Town Hall. Passed by the City Council planning committee poodles in March and hailed by Peels Chinese Circus at the planning committee meeting as a new dawn for Liverpool, 6 months later they are still no nearer to building anything, in fact the past 6 months look as if they have been a waste of time, as they have now got to resubmit the application to the planning committee. Despite the city council press machine feeding the local press with mistruths that the application was to be submitted to the Secretary of State in August IT IS NO FURTHER ALONG THAN THIS TIME LAST YEAR. 

IN THE MEANTIME LIVERPOOL HAS BEEN PLACED  ON UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE IN DANGER LIST.

 So the application was rushed through by Joe Anderson to help his Mayoral campaign and it is now clear that this was forced through with little thought. We do not have a Chief Planning Officer in Liverpool, since Nigel Lee retired. It is no wonder, the full gravity of the planning application was not discussed adequately.

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01l42wq/

In the meantime The UK State Party A.K.A The Government have been told by Unesco to submit a programme to remove Liverpool from the Unesco In Danger List.

A full report has to be submitted to Unesco by February 2013.

David Bartlett Takes The City Council To Task Over Lime Street Dereliction.

Or does he just give them the chance to defend the atrocious mess that is Lime Street?.

We have been banging on about this for years.

This block is ended by two listed buildings The Grapes public hous and the Vines.

Bartlett writes;

A FIVE-YEAR masterplan will attempt to revitalise Liverpool’s Lime Street.

City regeneration leaders admitted the road and neighbouring Renshaw Street are top of their list of priorities after becoming blighted by numerous derelict properties.

They have relaunched a joint venture company called Regeneration Liverpool, with Sigma In partnership, which will develop at least five sites across the city.

Lime Street and Renshaw Street is one of those projects and the company has already been tasked with drawing up a masterplan.
Between 2007 and 2010, £35m of mainly public money was lavished on improvements after Lime Street station was rated one of the worst in the country.
It involved knocking down the eyesore Concourse House and a row of shops in front of it, with the public square built at the main entrance in their place.

Read more http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2012/08/09/derelict-and-forgotten-does-liverpool-s-lime-street-have-a-future-99623-31579623/ Wayne informs me he spoke to David last week and highlighted Liverpools need to regenerate the Central Docks while Lime Street lays derelict and fair enough he has sharpened his pencil and got a story out highlighting the need to regenerate this area..............It does not mention the need for regeneration In a sympathetic manner though.
Malcolm Kennedy who has not regenerated anything also gets some air.to regenerate his career he says;

Cllr Kennedy said Lime Street’s problems stem from it previously not being seen as a priority and the fragmented ownership of properties, an issue which also affects Renshaw Street.
He said discussions around what the masterplan will entail are at a sensitive stage and could not release exact details.
But he added: “Everything needs to be smartened up. Some buildings may have to go and new buildings put up. It is about transforming the area and that goes beyond a simple clean-up.”
Some take the view that areas around the main train station in many big cities around the world inevitably show their grubby underbellies, so should Lime Street be left as it is?
“No, not at all,” said Cllr Kennedy firmly.


Heres one we did earlier;
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/call-this-regeneration-liverpool-lime.html
Regeneration, Regeneration, Regeneration.

We even have a Regeneration Officer (Code for lets help Peel Holdings) by the name of Malcolm Kennedy.
Those in charge of Regeneration seem to concentrate on all the easy jobs while the old stock falls down.

The Futurist, that's Ironic, is a mess, left to rot while being so close to the world heritage site it may as well be in it.

Last I heard it was being left to fall down by Neptune Developments who wanted to develop the site. On one end of this block we have the Grapes (this block is next to the Adelphi) and the other end the Vines, both listed buildings because of their architectural merit.

While we are being spoon fed about Liverpool's (false) new dawn those in charge of Regeneration watch while whole blocks lay in decay. Is it a tried and tested plan. Let it fall down, the city council wont use their powers to have the building kept in a good state of repair. Then the developers claim it is in such a bad condition that the only thing to do is knock our historic pieces of architecture down and then build a modern block of flats. Just to the side of this is the Grade II listed ABC Cinema that those Urban Splash people said they were going to restore ......and then didn't, is rotting away.

If only those in charge of Regeneration really were genuine and sincere in the job in hand and stopped dodgy developers in this city letting our historic architectural stock fall down by serving them repair notices.

 

Another page filler from the Daily Ghost last year went no-where.

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/ldpbusiness/business-local/2010/03/22/urban-splash-reaffirms-commitment-to-liverpool-lime-street-and-southport-s-pleasureland-92534-26081951/

So where will this story lead to not more public realm money wasted on naff rubbish public art. Lets hope not.

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2009/07/liverpool-european-capital-ofbad.html

The article mentions the demolition Concourse House, heres what we say One step forward and one step back. Dont forget they kncocke it down and built the most awful block, breze block of student flats imaginable.

  http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2009/08/concourse-house-one-step-forward-and.html

Matt Brook of Broadway Malyan-Architect of World Heritage Vandalism.

The Architect of Mann Island in Liverpool's World Heritage Site Matt Brook.

If there is a bigger crime against architecture then we don't know of it.

To obscure the best views in a World Heritage Site should be a punishable offence.

He should have his practising license removed by RIBA and made a example of.

He should be held up as an example of how not to build a set of modern buildings in a World Heritage Site. 

To destroy a heritage asset that is comparable with the Taj Mahal and the Pyramids and the Great Wall of China he should be at least struck off.

There should be laws against Architects who leave the public with such ugly monstrous carbuncles and then bugger off somewhere else.

The picture on the right is what we in Liverpool had before Neptune Developments employed Matt Brook of Broadway Malyan to vandalise it.

Graham Fisher of the Victorian Socirty said at the planning committee meeting in 2006, "It is a miracle that such a wonderful vista has survived".

Then Doreen Jones passed her casting vote and sent it off for approval. Someone shouted at her "Shame on you Doreen"

She had no shame and never will have her and her dodgy property developing husband who knocked down the last ships chandlers in Liverpool.

The English Heretics are not without blame for this.

 If someone who lives in a listed building will know, you need a letter from the Pope to change your windows but here in  a World Heritage Site........A Conservation Area and next to, and adjacent to several Listed Buildings that had covenants protecting them they plonk Three Black Coffins that are so bad that they make the city a laughing stock, unless you are Peter Brown of the Merseyside Civic Society that is who taught (sic) Matt Brook at Liverpool University.   

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/merseyside-civic-society-heritage.html

So lets take a look at what he did to such fantastic views in a World Heritage Site, click on the picture below if you cant quite see the cupola of the Port of Liverpool buildings and the Liver Buildings towers.

This is almost the same view. The picture below that shows the New Museum of Liverpool last years Carbuncle Cup Award runner up......to Peel Holdings Media City.

One of the Three Black Carbuncles at Mann Island should be named Matt Brook House so every one in the world will know he is the architect of World Heritage Vandalism.

Broadway Malyan the company he works for should be fined for leaving us with three carbuncles in the WHS.

Announced as a contender for The Carbuncle Cup Award last year they escaped by claiming that it was not finished.

Just how did they do this in a WHS.

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/mann-island-nominated-for-building.html

But this year they are primed to take poll position in the Carbuncle Cup and quite rightly so they have been shortlisted.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/mann-island-shortlisted-for-carbuncle.html

read the BD award nomination here http://www.bdonline.co.uk/news/carbuncle-cup-2012-the-shortlist/5040098.article

A Crime Against Architecture.

Typical Architects profession though they give him more responsibility, you couldn't make this up

http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news/archive/3939-broadway-malyan-s-brook-named-on-riba-council.html

Broadway Malyan's Brook named on RIBA council

1 Jul 2009, 14:27

Matt Brook, director of Broadway Malyan's Liverpool since it opened in 2007, has been appointed to the Royal Institute of British Architects' National Council on a three-year term.

The RIBA National Council sets strategic policy for the institute and spearheads its work to promote design excellence.

Brook, a Liverpool John Moores University graduate, is the youngest director at Broadway Malyan, a practice with offices across the UK, Europe and Asia. He designed the Mann Island development for Neptune and Countryside on Liverpool's waterfront, and recently unveiled plans for an office development in the city at 30 Pall Mall.

Brook said: "One of the great things about RIBA is that the Council has strong regional representation. It's recognition that innovation and excellence are not just things that happen in London. There has been a fantastic architectural renaissance in the North West.

"I want to repay the confidence that has been put in me by RIBA members, by advocating for the North West and ensuring that what is happening here is recognised and promoted."

RIBA North West regional director, Belinda Irlam-Mowbray, commented: "We have always aimed to ensure that this region plays an active and influential role at national level, and with Matt representing us that is sure to happen. He is one of the new generation of North West architects who has been transforming the physical fabric of our towns and cities with innovative and exciting buildings. I think he will be a great advocate for the region."

Brook was also recently reappointed to the Northwest Design Review Panel, run by Places Matter, consisting of experts from a range of fields, including architecture, planning, development, urban design, civil and structural engineering, the historic environment, landscape design, and sustainability.

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/riba-to-send-its-drawings-collection-to.html

Here is what we thought of it.

 

This is what he said in March. in The Architects Journal

Matt Brook, director of global architecture, urbanism and design at Broadway Malyan

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/daily-news/dc-cabe-to-refresh-design-panels/8627185.article
There are two potential paying audiences for design review: local authorities and private developers. Paying for external design reviews would be a very cost-effective way for resource-strapped local authorities to bolster their in-house design advice. For developers, paying for a design review service would help ensure that their product is the best possible in a very competitive market, while also helping fast-track the planning process.

To become a more effective tool for clients, potential failings need to be addressed. Review teams must remain consistent for repeat reviews and have good local knowledge. However, the key aspect of design review that needs to change in the UK is its planning status. Design review needs to at least become a material consideration. It also needs to happen at an early stage, before applications are made.