Showing posts with label Lime Street Liverpool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lime Street Liverpool. Show all posts

Tuesday, 13 September 2016

Joe Anderson Spends £2,000,000 To Demolish The Futurist. Lime Street Will Never Be The Same Again.

If you are ever wondering why there are potholes in the roads and schools are crumbling, and your ageing relatives cant get a place in a nursing home because it has been closed. And they cant get the care they need then this is it.
Its because the money, taxpayers money, needed to run the council is going to Joe Anderson's property developer mates.
Two million quid spent helping his mates demolishing a decent building that was part of our history. 
What does he get out of going against the wishes of the public who elected him? 
The out of control Mayor of Liverpool has just spend the cash needed for services, servicing Neptune Developments.
 So embedded are they, along with, quite a few other developers, that are, in bed with Joe Anderson that he has been blind to what his priorities are.
He was not elected to Spiv for developers.
He keeps on winging about how his budgets have been cut by the government, and he wastes millions helping his mates.
Lets hope that someday he is sitting there eating his 46 pies for lunch, and he gets a sharp prick to his conscience.
And he realises that he is not the Mayor of Liverpool, who was elected to destroy the heritage of the city and lose the hard fought World Heritage Site status.
He was elected to listen to the public.
We have to question also the rest of the staff at the City Council.
What does  Ged Fitzgerald the Chief Executive do about this waste of taxpayers money while claiming the Tory government are to blame.
And whatever happened to transparency about the council child abuse scandal while Ged Fitzgerald who is lying low, out of sight, was at Rotheram Council. 
There appears to be another cover up.
 http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-council-chief-ged-fitzgerald-7955864
Where are the so called journalists at the Liverpool Echo in following up this?

Come back Derek Hatton all is forgiven.



Thursday, 12 May 2016

SAVE Propose to SAVE Lime Street. The Proposals Look Good.

If ever there was a part of Liverpool that typifies the way dodgy developers are allowed to bribe the City Council officials into allowing them to do what they want. 
Then this is it.
Common sense needs to prevail.

SAVE have had an architect prepare images as to what it would look like if the existing city scape was retained.
English Heritage did not agree with saving this building 10 years ago in the meantime it has deteriorated, exactly what Neptune want.


In the meantime a disgraceful article in the Echo today sees Tony McDonough the dodgy property developers moll printing exactly what Jon Egan, Neptunes PR, wants. 
Shame on you McDonough you should not be allowed to get away with this. trying to bend the public opinion and what for.......a free lunch.

Friday, 22 April 2016

Liverpool Futurist Lime Street To Be Demolished By Stealth-Blame Joe Anderson.

Dodgy Liverpool City Council planning department.
 Rob Burns strikes again. 
He is the ignorant heritage and design manager appointed by a dodgy Mayor to ensure that no spokes are put in the wheels of development for Joe Andersons cronies.
 Neptune Developments are one of those "cosy" developers who have somehow managed to wangle their way into the council chamber and have privileged access to a Mayoral Development Fund that is being administrated in the most disgraceful manner.........Largely To Frank McKenna's mates.
We first highlighted this years ago.
When we questioned the way the Echo are in on it and bringing the attention to the public is what the developers and its dodgy PR company wanted...to create a debate. The time would have been best employed fighting to save the facade rather than the usual rabble rousing that they like to do. Misguided by a fool of an editor they print this headline after the cordon was placed around the old cinema a week ago, almost helping Joe Anderson and his cronies.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/david-bartlett-takes-city-council-to.html

Where are the surveyors reports where are the questions?
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/joe-anderson-defends-his-mates-at.html

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/lime-street-architectural-abortion-paul.html

Well Alastair Machray is only good at one thing and thats making staff redundant.
SAVE have done a good job here in trying to SAVE the Futurist.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/will-save-britains-heritage-get-lime.html

This will be a big regret if we lose the city scape and roof line of Lime Street and replace it with a load of shoe boxes that will become the tenement slums of the future.

Shame on You Joe Anderson You Dodgy Little Mayor.

Friday, 15 January 2016

SAVE Lose Legal Fight Over Lime Street Plans.


£35m Liverpool regeneration scheme to go aheadIn a judgement handed down today (Friday, 15 January 2016), The Honourable Mrs Justin Patterson has dismissed the substantive application for a judicial review made by SAVE Britain's Heritage on the grounds that Liverpool City Council had failed to notify the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and UNESCO's World Heritage Committee in breach of planning guidance.
Judge Patterson rejected the claim because Historic England was consulted and did not raise any objections, nor request the scheme be called in for scrutiny by communities secretary Greg Clark.
She described the evidence provided by the council at the hearing in December 2015 as "impressive and clear", concluding that the local authority had properly considered whether the scheme would have an impact on the outstanding universal value of the World Heritage Site.
Judge Patterson also noted that it would cause "considerable problems" for the World Heritage Committee, which only meets once a year, if it had to consider all planning applications that could have an effect on the outstanding universal value of World Heritage Sites.
Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson said: "We were confident that we had properly and rigorously considered this application following all of the relevant government guidance, and it is pleasing that the High Court has come to the same conclusion.
"Lime Street is a key gateway route in the city centre that is in desperate need of investment and upgrading. The scheme went through a very rigorous evaluation before being approved.

So is it all over when the fat man sings.

Steve Parry, managing director of Neptune Developments, said: "We are pleased that the High Court has ratified the local planning decision and found that it was made in an entirely appropriate and thorough way.
"Lime Street urgently needs this project to happen. There has already been a cost associated with a delay that has impacted on the project's financial viability.
"On a positive note we have exchanged with a major fund before Christmas and can now hopefully get on with early demolition and delivery of a new vision for Lime Street." 
What a misguided individual.
Is Joe Anderson the biggest threat to Liverpool, Heritage since Herman Goering and the Luftwaffe?...............You also have to ask where was SAVE Britains Heritage when the real battle to SAVE Liverpool's World Heritage was being fought???????


Tuesday, 27 October 2015

Joe Anderson Defends His Mates At Neptune Developments Lime Street Plans-But Does He Have The Intellect To Understand Them?

















Having a Thickhead for a Mayor is always going to be difficult where our heritage is concerned. Neptune Developments Director used to work for the city council planning department. NEPTUNE ARE THE VANDALS WHO DESTROYED MANN ISLAND WITH THE THREE BLACK COFFINS.Neptunes PR company Archetype Studios who were Aurora Media and October Communications were PR for the fat mans Mayoral campaign. Isn't that a co-incidence or three
So it is no wonder he is in the paper today speaking up for the plans for Lime Street that are an architectural mess.SAVE Britains Heritage are quoting the world heritage site...........better late than never........(where were they when we were being put on the Unesco World Heritage In Danger List)...lets hope they can persuade "Joe Must Go" Anderson that he is talking out of his big backside and there are more important things than looking after his mates when Liverpools Heritage is concerned. 
IS JOE ANDERSON A TORY?
PREVIOUSLYWill SAVE Britains Heritage Get Lime Street Plans Called In?-We Hope So.

Describing the proposals as “oversized student accommodation and shopping units of bland design”, SAVE have condemned the move to knock down historic buildings like the Futurist to make way for the scheme.
Director Clem Cecil said: “Lime Street is quintessentially Liverpudlian in its great variety and charm. It is in the buffer zone of the World Heritage Site, a status to be proud of. Liverpool is a truly great city: these new plans are not worthy of it.
“As gateway to the city, Lime Street desperately needs repair. As stipulated in the WHS guidelines, it is a matter of working with the historic grain of the street rather than against it. We will be calling on the Secretary of State to intervene to allow the best design solution for this important site.”

The planning application, submitted by Regeneration Liverpool and developers Neptune, was opposed by heritage groups concerned at the loss of buildings including the Futurist cinema, built in 1912.
Experts say the site is in such poor condition it cannot be saved, with local campaign group Save the Futurist accepting this with a “heavy heart” ahead of the planning committee’s decision.
Neptune have committed to working with Save the Futurist to ensure the new-look street celebrates Lime Street’s cinematic past - with panels etched with designs to mark this among their plans.
While their argument does not focus only on the Futurist, SAVE believe the building should be repaired instead of being replaced. President Marcus Binney said: “The years before the First World War were a golden age of architecture in Liverpool.
“This section of Lime Street leading directly into the World Heritage site is especially rich with the riotously ornate Vines Pub of 1907 and grandly baroque Futurist Cinema. Built as the City Picture House in 1912 this is the incunabula of Cinema Architecture and must be saved.”
SAVE are requesting the call-in because they believe the site is of national and international significance, the proposals conflict with planning policies, they will have significant effects beyond their immediate locality and raise architectural and urban design issues.
http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/

If a planning application is called-in it leads to a public inquiry. Recommendations over the plans are then made to the Secretary of State, who takes the final decision.
The Lime Street plans include a 101-room hotel and 412 student accommodation complex. Neptune revised the plans after critical feedback of its original designs, with Joe Anderson praising the new-look proposal and suggesting it would have a “vibrant and exciting” impact on the area.

Further Reading
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/lime-street-architectural-abortion-paul.html


http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/save-futurist-from-neptune-developments.html

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/call-this-regeneration-liverpool-lime.html

Thursday, 13 August 2015

Will SAVE Britains Heritage Get Lime Street Plans Called In?-We Hope So.

Describing the proposals as “oversized student accommodation and shopping units of bland design”, SAVE have condemned the move to knock down historic buildings like the Futurist to make way for the scheme.
Director Clem Cecil said: “Lime Street is quintessentially Liverpudlian in its great variety and charm. It is in the buffer zone of the World Heritage Site, a status to be proud of. Liverpool is a truly great city: these new plans are not worthy of it.
“As gateway to the city, Lime Street desperately needs repair. As stipulated in the WHS guidelines, it is a matter of working with the historic grain of the street rather than against it. We will be calling on the Secretary of State to intervene to allow the best design solution for this important site.”
The planning application, submitted by Regeneration Liverpool and developers Neptune, was opposed by heritage groups concerned at the loss of buildings including the Futurist cinema, built in 1912.
Experts say the site is in such poor condition it cannot be saved, with local campaign group Save the Futurist accepting this with a “heavy heart” ahead of the planning committee’s decision.
Neptune have committed to working with Save the Futurist to ensure the new-look street celebrates Lime Street’s cinematic past - with panels etched with designs to mark this among their plans.
While their argument does not focus only on the Futurist, SAVE believe the building should be repaired instead of being replaced. President Marcus Binney said: “The years before the First World War were a golden age of architecture in Liverpool.
“This section of Lime Street leading directly into the World Heritage site is especially rich with the riotously ornate Vines Pub of 1907 and grandly baroque Futurist Cinema. Built as the City Picture House in 1912 this is the incunabula of Cinema Architecture and must be saved.”
SAVE are requesting the call-in because they believe the site is of national and international significance, the proposals conflict with planning policies, they will have significant effects beyond their immediate locality and raise architectural and urban design issues.
http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/


If a planning application is called-in it leads to a public inquiry. Recommendations over the plans are then made to the Secretary of State, who takes the final decision.
The Lime Street plans include a 101-room hotel and 412 student accommodation complex. Neptune revised the plans after critical feedback of its original designs, with Joe Anderson praising the new-look proposal and suggesting it would have a “vibrant and exciting” impact on the area.

Further Reading
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/lime-street-architectural-abortion-paul.html


http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/save-futurist-from-neptune-developments.html

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/call-this-regeneration-liverpool-lime.html





Tuesday, 11 August 2015

Lime Street Plans Passed-Spiv Anderson says "Its Great News"

 Only in Liverpool could a set of plans that would destroy a whole cityscape be passed and the Mayor says thats great.
Spiv Anderson is not the most educated of people in the manners of architecture but even he cant be that thick. It is an architectural abortion.
WE DONT TRUST THE SAVE THE FUTURIST CAMPAIGN who capitulated and then said these plans were alright.
Were they orchestrated by Jon Egan and Archetype Studios, the shady backroom PR for Neptune Developments. Who worked for Joe Anderson in his Mayoral campaign.We think so.
Why did the developers allow them to put a placard up?
 To cause more controversy because they want controversy. Controversy equals public funding for Neptune.
There will be a bit of grant farming going on here for sure. A FOI will find out how much public money will go into destroying a whole street Yes we know it wants developing but not with this rubbish. Dont forget the Grapes and the Vines bookend this street and there are several listed buildings in the vicinity.
Is it also true that one of Neptune Developments directors used to work for the Liverpool City planning disgracement. Neptune are the vandals that built the Mann Island black coffins lets not forget the mess they have made of the city.
How many city scapes are going to be ruined by inadequate planning tht is told what to do by spivs looking after their mates.

This is a sad day for Liverpool a World Heritage Site.


Monday, 10 August 2015

Lime Street Architectural Abortion. Paul Jones Liverpool City Planner You Should Be Ashamed Of Yourself.


AN ARCHITECTURAL ABORTION.

These planners are out of control. Paul Jones is responsible for the city centre lets hope he can sleep at night.

OUR OBJECTION LETTER submitted late because of technical problems on the council planning explorer.

We have tried o leave these on planning explorer and the councils own system will not allow me to do so.
This has taken out our right as citizens to be heard which is why I need them communicated to the committee.









We wish to object firstly on the proposals being in the centre of two fine listed buildings The Grapes and The Vines.
There must be a facade retention of the Futurist cinema as demolition would alter the cityscape significantlty. There is ample technology to save this facade.
The developers have owned the building for years and have let the back of it fall down.

Liverpools City Councils Supplementary Development Plan page 118 Section 6.6.12
Lime Street is Character area 5; The William Brown Cultural Quarter.
This includes Lime Street station.
 The guidance contained within the SPD says the restoration where possible and redevelopment should follow guidance in section 4 and should be of high architectural quality and where relevent present a frontage towards The World Heritage character area 5.
These plans do not do this in any way.
These plans if passed will alter the visual character and the impact they have on surviving historic buildings which are listed.

The Liverpool City Planning department have not followed their own guidelines contained within the SPD on this occasion.

It is important that the city's own prepared SPD which was ratfied in October 2009 be adhered to.
Unesco have placed a moratorium on development in the World Heritage Site.
It would not be sensible to allow these proposals of little architectural merit to be built.
This would not be taken lightly by Unesco who will be informed should they be passed.
These plans are of no character whatsoever and should be rejected.

Monday, 16 March 2015

Save The Futurist Lime Street-No If's and But's Just Save It.

h a city council run by property developers spivs, it is no co-incidence that we find the city embroiled in a heritage battles every week. Those battles are being played out in the pages of the Liverpool Echo and its moonlighting staff with its staff and the dodgy connections with local PR people who have no morals.

Neil Hodgson is bad http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/ldp-business-week-are-they-pr-plants.html but Bill Gleeson does it in plain sight.
 http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/liverpool-daily-post-what-price-free.html

The sooner we get it into the heads of the Mayor and the dodgy PR companies that he has employed. Companies who would sell their souls are now controlling the press pages and its suits Joe Anderson because he can just turn a blind eye and watch while the city becomes just like anyother a homogonised architecturally bland city where you the leader and his dodgy planning department just allow the demolition of one historic structure after another.
SAVE THE FUTURIST FROM JOE ANDERSON. 






http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/save-futurist-from-neptune-developments.html

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/david-bartlett-takes-city-council-to.html

http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/call-this-regeneration-liverpool-lime.html

Liverpool Preservation Trust: David Bartlett Takes The City Council To Task Over Lime Street Dereliction.

Liverpool Preservation Trust: David Bartlett Takes The City Council To Task Over Lime Street Dereliction.

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

Save The Futurist-From Neptune Developments. And Liverpool City Council Spivs.

Its that man again Malcolm Kennedy, the property developers friend, and this time its Neptune Developments he is helping. Neptune who trashed the World Heritage Site with the Three Black Coffins on Mann Island. (Did one of Neptune's Directors work at the City Council planning department)? This time Malc has taken time off from his main job working for Peel Holdings to do some part time work for Neptune.
We say; You cant have a city council that are property developers.
There is a conflict of interests.
But this is Liverpool where Mayor Joe Anderson has allowed the line between acceptable development that benefits the city, and down right money making schemes for dodgy property developers to become blurred. Remember the scheme whereby the city council sold St Andrews Church to a convicted fraudster for a quid. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/st-andrews-church-sold-to-convicted.html
Previously we wrote about the Lime Street decay.


http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/david-bartlett-takes-city-council-to.html


David Bartlett recently wrote
A PROJECT to revitalise Liverpool’s rundown Lime Street area has taken a major step forward.
Liverpool council is in the process of agreeing a deal to take over a series of properties on the eastern side of the street between The Crown and The Vines.
Liverpool-based Parkmoor Group has agreed to sell its interests to allow the city to create a large single development plot.
And the council is also in talks with Anglo Irish Bank, which controls the historic derelict former Futurist cinema, after its owner Futurist Development Limited went into liquidation.
The scheme is by Regeneration Liverpool, a joint venture between regeneration specialist Sigma Inpartnership, Neptune Developments, and Liverpool council.
Architects Broadway Malyan, who designed the three granite block buildings at Mann Island, were asked to draw up some initial ideas including a series of offices, shops and student flats.
The project is estimated to be worth around £38.7m, with the potential to create 310 jobs.
Cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Malcolm Kennedy, said: “This is one of the key projects for Liverpool that I want to see happen.”
A campaign is currently running to save the facade of the Futurist, which first opened in 1912, but has sat abandoned since 1982.
But Cllr Kennedy said he was unable to give a firm commitment that the facade could be saved because the exact condition of the building was not yet known. Much of the building behind the facade is in a major state of disrepair.
He said: “I have given a commitment to the campaigners and their architectural advisers to involve them once the proposals are drawn up.”
Regeneration Liverpool’s business plan reveals that an application has been made to the Homes and Communities Agency for funds to acquire the Futurist.
The report also states that a heads of term agreement has been reached with Parkmoor about buying the firm’s properties on the eastern side of Lime Street.
The cost of buying up properties to assemble the site will cost an estimated £6m.
Architects BDP, who devised the blueprint for Liverpool One, have also been asked to draw up a masterplan for the Adelphi Hotel area of Lime Street which leads into Brownlow Hill.
The study will look at potential ideas for developing key sites in the area such as the Mount Pleasant car park.
The business plan estimates that a planning application could be submitted as early as the summer for the first phase, with work possibly starting next year.


http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2013/04/15/progress-in-plan-to-revamp-liverpool-s-run-down-lime-street-100252-33173162/


One commenter says

10:19 PM on 15/4/2013
I was initially delighted to hear of the intended revamp of Lime Street. But, when it became clear that there would be a direct involvement of Neptune Developments, my happiness soon dampened. This company have the knack of gaining access to high profile locations, and blighting them with buildings of banal mediocrity, which detract from what is already there. Their development on Brownlow Hill now means we are denied views of the iconic Victoria Building from across the university campus.. The nondescript clutter around the Catholic Cathedral is theirs. as is the carbuncle at Mann Island, along with the Lego monstrosity at the mouth of the Mersey at New Brighton.. They did Queens Square and now they will do Lime St.. Well and truly

another calling themselves Dubliner says

3:16 PM on 15/4/2013
More sloppy journalism from the Echo. The Anglo Irish Bank hasn't existed since it was wound down in 2011 being one of the major players in Ireland's Banking Crisis. Now either the journalist meant it's successor the IBRC or more likely the Allied Irish Bank (AIB).
Echo please double check your facts before reporting them, your mistakes are becoming far too common place these days.


So why are the City Council buying land for property developers?

Monday, 22 August 2011

Call This Regeneration? Liverpool Lime Street A Disgrace.

 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 didnt, is rotting away.


As is Littlewoods on Edge Lane that we saved from demolition, only to see it lay empty. 
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/07/there-was-scheme-to-relocate-school-in.html

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.