Council in limbo on London Road Fire Station
MANCHESTER City Council is still waiting for a “positive response” from Britannia Hotels to an ultimatum it issued regarding the redevelopment of the London Road Fire Station.
According to an email sent by council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein to a group campaigning to bring the derelict building back into use, the council is “yet to receive a positive response” from Britannia.
At the end of September the council gave Hale-based Britannia six weeks to agree to a legally binding agreement to implement an existing planning consent for a 227-bed hotel. If Britannia refused the local authority said it would issue a compulsory purchase order (CPO) – three years after an earlier bid failed.
On the deadline day in November Britannia’s finance director contacted a local newspaper saying the company would be “happy to enter into a development agreement with the council’s co-operation”. At the same time the council said it had heard nothing.
On December 10 Sir Howard wrote to the Friends of London Road Fire Station with an update.
He said: “The council has been working hard to encourage the building’s owner to bring forward proposals for the building but, despite receiving a number of assurances from them, there has been no indication given by them that imminent redevelopment is likely.
“In October the council declared its commitment to take steps to formally adopt resolutions to make a further CPO in respect of the building if the building’s owner failed to properly engage with the council and provide assurances that had been requested of them. We have yet to receive a positive response from BCL [Britannia Centres Ltd] to our requests. We are now considering what further action should be taken.”
No one at Britannia could be reached for comment.
