Press release: Liverpool Lime Street campaign boost as SAVE gets appeal green light
Lime Street and the Futurist Cinema
Detail of the former Irish American Bar on Lime street
5 May 2016
Press release: Liverpool Lime Street campaign boost as SAVE gets appeal green light
SAVE Britain’s Heritage has just received permission from the Court of Appeal to press ahead with a major challenge against the demolition of more than 10 historic buildings on Lime Street in central Liverpool.
Lord Justice Lindblom QC granted the Order to Appeal yesterday, saying:
“I accept the appeal has a real prospect of success, and in any event that matters raised on the interpretation and application of the guidance … are important enough to afford a compelling reason for the appeal to be heard."
Planning permission for the demolition was approved by Liverpool City Council in 2015 and SAVE has challenged the decision on heritage grounds. Numerous objections have been raised against the £35m proposal for student flats, from Merseyside Civic Society, the Historic Cinema Theatres Association and the Victorian Society, as well as SAVE. A public petition to Save the Futurist Cinema gathered over 4,000 signatures. The appeal is now expected to go ahead as an urgent case before the end of May 2016.
Henrietta Billings, Director of SAVE Britain’s Heritage said: “This permission to proceed with the appeal is great news. We are looking forward to scrutinising and challenging the decision to destroy this important terrace of 18th and 19th century buildings, as well as the Futurist cinema, at the Court of Appeal”.
Marcus Binney, President of SAVE Britain’s Heritage said: “This is a key piece of Liverpool townscape first shown on a map in 1780 and reaching its glory moment in Edwardian times with the two handsome listed pubs at the ends of the block and the 1912 Futurist in the centre. It should have been made a Conservation Area 10 years ago as English Heritage suggested.
“Lime Street and Rensaw Street form one of the great thoroughfares of Liverpool linking the station and the cathedrals. Fine buildings and vistas survive, all worthy of Conservation Area status and revival. This is a classical battle over townscape, the kind of battle that has been won again and again in English cities over 40 years and must not be lost now. Now SAVE has been granted leave for a hearing in the Court of Appeal the importance of the issue is recognised.”
SAVE is continuing to appeal for funds to support the campaign. We need £10,000 to cover our legal costs and so far we have had over 80 separate donations and have raised nearly £4,000. Please help us reach our target by donating here: http://campaign.justgiving.com/charity/savebritainsheritage/limestreet
Permission to appeal comes on the back of the advice issued last week by an independent structural engineer stating that the façade of the Futurist – the historic 1912 cinema - can be saved.
In agreement with the city council, SAVE commissioned The Morton Partnership, independent structural engineers who specialise in historic buildings, to inspect the main elevation of the Futurist cinema.
Ed Morton, Director of The Morton Partnership sets out a clear strategy for propping up and retaining the façade which he says he hopes will be included in a new design for Lime Street.
No development works on the site in connection with the planning permission are permitted until the Court of Appeal case has been decided. We applied to the Court of Appeal in February 2016, and have been waiting for a decision on whether the case could be heard.
SAVE recognises the need to improve the area, but strongly condemns these plans to demolish rather than repair, and the deliberate neglect over many years of publicly owned heritage assets that should have been maintained under full repairing leases.
Note to editors:
1. For more information please contact Henrietta Billings, Director at SAVE on 0207 253 3500 or office@savebritainsheritage.org
2. The appeal relates to Liverpool City Council (‘LCC’) and Neptune Developments’ proposals to demolish more than ten buildings on Liverpool Lime Street, which is located in the World Heritage Site Buffer Zone.
SAVE considers that insufficient consultation took place before the Council determined the future of Liverpool’s gateway street from which the famous railway station takes its name.
SAVE also considers that the issue of how LCC consults with the UK’s World Heritage Committee and DCMS is crucial in order to protect Liverpool’s World Heritage Site in the future. This also has wider importance for other World Heritage Sites in England and Wales. The current system of consultation is not clear and is not achieving the necessary level of protection.
3. To support SAVE’s campaign please donate here:http://campaign.justgiving.com/charity/savebritainsheritage/limestreet
4. SAVE Britain’s Heritage has been campaigning for historic buildings since its formation in 1975 by a group of architectural historians, writers, journalists and planners. It is a strong, independent voice in conservation, free to respond rapidly to emergencies and to speak out loud for the historic built environment.
Press release issued by SAVE Britain’s Heritage
70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ
Registered Charity 269129
Tel. 020 7253 3500 Email office@savebritainsheritage.org
www.savebritainsheritage.org
Follow SAVE on Twitter: @SAVEBrit
Donate to SAVE via Justgiving
Become a Friend of SAVE here
Press release