£35m regen scheme to advance after High Court ruling

A £35m regeneration of Lime Street in Liverpool has been cleared after the High Court rejected a bid by SAVE Britain’s Heritage to overturn planning permission.

The controversial scheme involves redevelopment for mixed use including commercial, retail and leisure uses with hotel and student accommodation. It will be followed by a proposed entertainment and media hub in the former ABC Cinema, which would be restored.

In a judgment The Hon Mrs Justice Patterson dismissed the substantive application for a Judicial Review, which was made by SAVE Britain’s Heritage on the grounds that the 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 (formerly English Heritage) were consulted and did not raise any objections, nor request the scheme be called in for scrutiny by Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government, Greg Clark.

Mayor of Liverpool, 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.

“We want to get on with allowing the developers to invest in their vision and bring Lime Street up to a much higher standard than it has been for decades and one that is fitting for a major entry point into the city centre.”

Hitting out at what he claimed was a “spurious” legal move he added: “This was an attempt by outside interest groups to delay much-needed regeneration, and fortunately the High Court has seen right through it.”

The Mayor said i would not be possible to save the facade of the former Futurist cinema within the new scheme because of its poor structural condition following deterioration over a number of years, and this decision has been accepted by the Save the Futurist campaign group.

Steve Parry, managing director of Neptune Developments, added: “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.””

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