Liverpool - again!

[Nemesis]

Liverpool - again!

We have had several postings of late re the 'City of Culture'.

This is in the latest BD:

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=426&storycode=3112355&c=1&encCode=00000000014bc00d

Liverpool council claims heritage is safe with us
29 April, 2008

In an open letter, Liverpool planning manager Nigel Lee confirmed that it is working with English Heritage to consider 60 buildings in the city's world heritage site

Lee’s letter said: “Following your recent look at building conservation in Liverpool, I felt it may be helpful to write an open letter in reply.

You referred to what you call, ‘Liverpool’s threatened world heritage site’. I would stress that at no time has UNESCO threatened to add the city to any ‘heritage in danger’ list. A UNESCO mission did come to Liverpool in October 2006, and subsequently reported to the World Heritage Committee at its meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand in June 2007. The mission was overwhelmingly positive about what is happening in the city. The World Heritage Committee had the option of possible sanctions against the city if it was concerned that the World Heritage Site was at risk. None was made.

You write that English Heritage has ‘toughened its stance in recent months’, and that it has it been ‘shamed into action’. English Heritage has been working very closely with Liverpool City Council since 2001. From March 2002 this has been formalised as the ‘Historic Environment of Liverpool Project’ (HELP) with a full-time post based in the Council’s Planning Service – an indication of the seriousness with which we do take conservation in our partnership working. A listing review programme commenced at the inception of the partnership in 2002. The current focus on the World Heritage Site is part of this and dates back to work from June 2006. It is misleading to refer to it as a recent ‘toughening up’ or ‘being shamed into action’.

I do not think we can claim, as you write, that the current review is the ‘biggest review of the city’s historic building stock ever undertaken’, or that it is focussed on buildings at risk of loss. However, we are pleased to be working with English Heritage to consider some 60 additional buildings in the World Heritage Site.

You mentioned Josephine Butler House with some ambiguity about its relationship with the city’s World Heritage Site. It is not within the World Heritage Site and has no bearing on World Heritage Site issues. It is also neither listed nor within a conservation area. As such there were no planning controls over its demolition. Whatever the actions of the developer, the City Council managed to get a listing inspector from English Heritage’s York office out to assess the building within two working days of their receipt of the request for listing. The architectural assessor stated unequivocally that there was no special architectural or historic interest to justify listing. The proposals were subsequently determined by the Council’s Planning Committee in line with national and local planning policy.

You have cited the ‘Liverpool Preservation Trust’, approvingly. This is an organisation that appears to be un-registered with the Charities Commission, to have no constitution, one ‘trustee’ (or ‘chairman’) and no members. I understand the sole ‘trustee’ parted ways with the Merseyside Civic Society because of his idiosyncratic views about the future of the city. The ‘trust’ is always happy to provide personal opinions; it is for others to decide how representative they are in reporting them and the credibility it imparts on the reporter in doing so.

Your editorial comment appears unclear about a number of matters. English Heritage is not ‘surveying all the buildings on the world heritage site which it believes are at risk’. To reiterate, as part of the HELP partnership it has since 2002 been up-dating the Liverpool List which was last systematically reviewed in the 1980s. The current review of 60 buildings in the World Heritage Site is part of this, dating from 2006. The 60 buildings include many in good repair and in beneficial use that have sufficient heritage interest to qualify as listed buildings.

For the benefit of your readers I would clarify it is illegal under provisions of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to ‘knock down’ buildings within the city’s World Heritage Site given that they are all either listed or within a designated conservation area, or both.

You also refer to the need to give buildings such as Josephine Butler House ‘more than grade II protection’. As I mention above, the building was not listed, and I cannot imagine you are suggesting a grade II* (two star) or I (one) listing for a building which English Heritage considered had no special architectural or historic interest. Such a higher grade of listing would have placed it in the top 6% of historic buildings nationally, on par with the ‘three graces’ at the city’s Pier Head, St George’s Hall or the city’s cathedrals!”

Related articles
EH acts to save historic buildings in Liverpool Must we twist Liverpool’s arm?

I would be interested to hear any other opinions on Liverpool's care of its historic buildings in recent times...

 

[Nemesis]

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-life-features/liverpool-special-features/2008/01/29/liverpool-s-georgian-heritage-living-on-the-eve-of-destruction-64375-20405391/

 

[Nemesis]

One comment under the article already:

Charles Korsham 30 April, 2008
Well the city council planning officer has certainly had his cage rattled by the bad press. But you have to ask yourself Mr Lee why have the press printed so much about Liverpool of recent months... are they all wrong? It is no good being in denial Mr Lee, I live in Liverpool and we have public statements from the audit commission that Liverpool is the worst run council in the coutry. May I add to this "with the worst planning department". Yes it is that bad. All of this stuff about Liverpool's regeneration is from the council's press machine trying to justify itself. From 2002 we have had an Historic Enviroment of Liverpool Project and what have they done? We go on losing listed buildings and others of historic importance. In fact it is us the public who need HELP from English Heritage and its partnership with "cosy" developers because this planning manager is out of control with my heritage and I for one applaud the stance of local well respected bodies such as the Liverpool Preservation Trust for running them right along the line and not letting them get away with it. I am today declaring my support in writing that if there is anything I can do to help them I will. See the picture above well it is about to have the views obliterated by three monstrous carbuncles that Unesco have said are too high to be in a world heritage site. They have to report for debate this July at the next world heritage committee meeting. It was only after the UK's permenant delegation to Unesco saved the day for this council by pursuading the world heritage committee that a suplementary development plan will be created to stop the mess unfolding. Whether legally bound or not it is morally wrong what this council's planners and English Heritage are doing to my city. I really am considering moving out, it is that bad and no amount of persuasion from Mr Lee will convince me otherwise.