Welsh Streets demolition and build plan approved
Liverpool City Council has granted consent for controversial plans to demolish 280 houses and build 154 new homes.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles will now decide whether the Welsh Streets scheme should be the subject of an inquiry.
Councillors also gave outline approval for a second phase of redevelopment that would see the demolition of a further 160 buildings to be replaced with up to 73 properties.
The £15m regeneration plan for the Toxteth area of south Liverpool has been at the centre of 10 years of public consultation.
The scheme designed by Triangle Architects will be delivered by the city council and housing association Plus Dane.
It will initally lead to the refurbishment of 37 homes – including the Madryn Street childhood home of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr – and the delivery of 154 new homes close to Princes Park.
Following the resolution of the planning committee to approve the Welsh Streets planning application, the Department of Communities & Local Government issued an Article 25 Direction, which means the Secretary of State will not allow the Local Planning Authority to grant planning permission without specific authorisation.
This is to allow him to consider whether or not he wishes the application to be referred to him for determination.
If he decides that he does want the application to be referred to him then it would involve a public inquiry which would take place at a time and date to be set.
If he decides that he does not want the application to be referred to him then the Local Planning Authority will be able to make the decision on the application in accordance with the planning committee resolution.
Arup associate Hannah Smith, who managed the planning process, said: "Once built, the scheme will make a real difference to the lives of local residents securing much needed regeneration within this tight-knit community."
Bonkers, utter madness to knock down perfectly good Victorian properties that have character, and to replace them with tomorrow’s sink estate of poorly designed nonsense that "nods" to its historical past but is ultimately a bunch of dross. end of sermon.
By devastated
I’d like to know on what grounds the fat controller has to call it in, surely it wouldn’t be a departure from local policy and therefore under the principles of localism acknowledging there are both people for and against the application he should keep his nose out. Maybe its because Ringo did the voice over for Thomas the Tank!
By Mojo
I agree with devastated above! Im devastated too! This is ludicrous. Knocking down great houses – proven by the experiment done on ITV, most people agree they should not be knocked down. But Liverpool City Council ploughs on. Just like Kensington when you look at the rubbish that has been built there ripped the heart out of the place there were just a few old ladies left a few months back in the last of the properties. The money given via CPO to the people in kensington was not enough to buy one of the new ‘town houses’ what are you doing Liverpool City Council – carrying on regardless and wasting money – same as usual then?
By Bob Dawson
@devastated. Until you have all the facts I suggest you shut up. They are far from ‘perfectly good’, they are according to the NRA, the worst existing terrace stock in Liverpool and would cost far to much to refurbish, and then they would be too small for families. I for one suggest we respect the findings of the planning committee who have assessed all information & made their decision accordingly; rightly in my opinion, unless you want tinned up, crumbling houses on this site for decades to come as no-one else has come forward with funds to develop/refurb here (and probably won’t). end of THIS sermon…
By M
People have ignored the existing residents for too long. These people want new houses that are warm and safe, not houses that are damp and structurally unsafe. A minority of people oppose the development – those opposing demolition are mainly people outside Liverpool who don’t understand the history of the project, and SAVE who have refused to engage in dialogue with existing residents. The government are trying to promote Localism and neighbourhood plans, so if they call it in, they are acknowledging that they don’t trust local neighbourhoods to make their own decisions.
By Listen to what locals want
it will be the same old, same old for Liverpool…yet more failed policy. The leftie loons pocket as much as they can from the public purse whilst spouting nonsense about helping the working classes. The only interest 99% of them have is lifting themselves out of the "working class" whilst benefitting financially from these ridiculous "social solutions" for the proletariat that never, ever work. amen
By devastated 2
@M – the idea is still a rubbish one and if the images in this article are the best the design has to offer then the design is pretty naff too. The last time an architect designed any sort of credible affordable housing (that will stand the test of time and not require knocking down in 15-20 years time)for the workers was when the Victorians build the original terraces!!
By devastated
@devastated. ‘The idea is still a rubbish one’? What, the idea that the local residents get what they want which is removal of terribly rundown/structurally unsound buildings replaced with new affordable homes which are more energy efficient costing less to run, with gardens & parking. Yeah, what a rubbish idea! The fact that you don’t like the ‘look’ of them is purely subjective, I for one think they look great, so who’s right?
By M