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Sefton Park meadowlands homes halted
Green spaces sell-off on hold as inquiry announced
PLANS to build luxury houses on Sefton Park's meadows have been halted until at least next summer.
The controversial land deal will now have to await the outcome of an independent review into the city's green spaces before it can progress.
The move will be seen as a partial victory, but this is almost certain to be denied by Liverpool's Labour rulers.
Details of the review emerged during a Liverpool City Council select committee meeting, last night, when questions were asked about the proposed flogging of green and open spaces across the city.
Regeneration chief Nick Kavanagh said the future of various sites would now depend on what is said in an independent review, and this will not produce its report until next summer.
He said all green space development plans are now on hold until a Green Space Review is carried out. This includes Sefton Park Meadows, Newsham Park and Walton Hall Park but not Woolton Woods.
Tonight it was not clear whether the council's preferred developer, Redrow, will continue with the expensive task of drawing up its formal planning application.
The delay comes just days after a public spat over the meadows between Mayor Joe Anderson and Sex And The City star Kim Cattrall. That story spilled over into the national press, and appeared in news media across the world.
Ken Aspinall, chairman of the campaign group Save Sefton Park Meadows, welcomed the move but asked if the emotive issue was being "kicked into the long grass" until after next May's council elections.
Tonight a spokesman for Liverpool City Council confirmed no decisions will be made about the Meadows until after the review is studied next year.
The Mayor and director of regeneration will decide on an independent chairman for the Green Space Review committee, who will then decide the make-up of its members. It is intended that the review will then inform the Liverpool Local Plan.
It was announced at the meeting that Harthill Allotments will be taken out of the list for development but council intends to go ahead to take five percent of Woolton Woods Park for St Julies School development.
"Are they are kicking the matter into the long grass (of the Meadows) until after the May 2015 elections? Time will tell."
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where's john Bradley?....must be having his tea I guess..
What shall we do while he is gone?
We could all go by our real names for a bit?
I am in the same room as the editor.
I am in the same room as the editor
Im in a room too
I'm now in a different room.
Don't tell fibs. You live in one room, with a bed and a small fridge, and the curtains drawn all day while you scribble the same antagonistic abuse to people you'll never meet.
You obviously have me confused with yourself.
I am in a rubber room.
The above comment isn't by me but I can't get confidential towers to delete it.
He was, I was with him. And a load of other people who were anonymous. I expect they will confirm this later.
It was a pleasure to meet such a fine and upstanding person as yourself prof. I can quite see why you where rear of the year in 2008. As discussed www.networkrail.co.uk/Manchester_Victoria_station_redevelopment.aspx…
Joe denies anything's been halted. Games being played
The 'boulevard' area of Newsham Park would be a much greater loss if this is allowed to go ahead, but those bearing the loss do not have the same access to resources or know-how.
I live not far from Newsham Park, and would point out that the Boulevard is already separate from the main park and was not originally part of the design - it was created out of unsold building plot (see the entry on the English Heritage website). Although it's a historic park with a wonderful original design, it was totally neglected for years, and ended up full of junkies and pitbull type dogs and their owners, so many people don't want to go there. I know there's been some small improvement, but there needs to be a lot more. I think most people living around the park would accept the loss of the boulevard if it meant there would be significant investment in the main park funded by the developers, and a council programme to improve and upgrade some of the adjacent housing. Tuebrook councillors have been trying for years to get some action on houses left derelict or in poor repair, without much success. It is of course a pity to lose green space, but with the kind of pressure the council is under we're not going to win them all. Surely protesters should be focussing on the appalling proposal to grab half of Walton Hall Park for a football stadium. That really is a disgraceful proposition, and fighting it should be a priority.
Disagree Katie54...Newsham Park IS a Victorian Park, and money should be spent to bring it back to its original splendour!! As to your comment re "junkies and pitbull type dogs and their owners"....if it is so prevalent.....the Police should be monitoring this!! This should NEVER be an excuse to give up to the developers. Sefton Park should be the blueprint, money spent there....and brings in money! Newsham Park is the same....BRING IT BACK TO IT'S ORIGINAL GLORY!!! OH! "and the kind of pressure that the council is under"...get real! Stop blaming the Government....Liverpool Council, and Mayor Joe, just waste money on paying (so called) advisors £90k plus salaries, to ruin our City Never mind the so called councillors who meet and nod their heads to Joe and any developer who knocks on their door! This is OUR CITY, we pay Council Tax...for what? Most of our money appears to go into salaries for "those in command" in the Council, who just look after their own!! NO BENEFIT TO/OR ANY VOICE FOR THE PEOPLE OF LIVERPOOL.
I never suggested it wasn't a Victorian Park, or that money should not be spent on it. The point I was trying to make is that the boulevard area was not part of the original design, and is largely separated from the main park. Given this, it seems sensible to use this to generate some cash that could be used to restore the park and upgrade the surrounding streets - which would improve the quality of life of the whole area, and encourage people to make far more use of the park. As for the council, I am well aware that Joe and his minions are inept, incompetent and very possibly corrupt. The man himself is an ignorant, gullible bully who shames us all, allowing himself to be influenced by property developers' lobbyists while cutting essential services instead of the excessive salaries we pay inadequate senior managers and their fat cat mates. But that does not alter the fact that there has been a huge cut in funding from central government. What I am really saying is that to oppose absolutely everything could make the protesters look like impractical and unrealistic luddites, and is not going to work. It would be more sensible, and more effective, to prioritise.
In a nutshell Katie. The man is getting worse.
Yes- Anderson has got to the point where he doesn't care what he says - truth or lies. He's been on radio Merseyside twice in the last two weeks and told told three outrageous lies - one lie even made Roger Phillips gasp. I've got it all on my iPhone - one day in the not too distant future his little empire is going to come tumbling down - with him underneath it
Who would you like to see as either Mayor or Council Leader?
That's a good question. If Paul Brandt hadn't withdrawn so completely from local politics (although still serving on the board of Riverside), he would be the logical choice for Council Leader. At the time people did not speculate about what his personal issues actually were, but given the timing of the LDL negotiations and announcement, there is a distinct possibility that, as a lawyer, he didn't want to have anything more to do with the whole mess. The fact that Anderson refused to replace him and simply took over the Finance & Resources portfolio himself tends to support this.
Of course Labour is likely to sweep back to power in Liverpool come the next election but a strong well known local independent candidate could oust the Labour Mayor. Then we might actually hear some of the councillors opinions. Herbert might reconsider, or Jimmy Corkhill.
Best way to get shut of Joe will be to persuade Labour too put up another candidates and let the voters use the AV system to pick which.
Munby4Mayor - you heard it here first Steve x
Ha ha ha...what a dynamic choice.
What about Foghorn Legarty? His new job - interviewing people in a downmarket manicure booth on Bay TV - doesn't look too good.