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Jul 20 2006 |
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By Larry Neild, Daily Post |
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LIVERPOOL'S plans to bulldoze 3,000 terraced houses as part of the biggest clearance programme for 40 years, lay in tatters last night, jubilant critics claimed. They say a decision by Local Government Secretary of State Ruth Kelly to freeze plans for a massive regeneration programme, would spell the end of the strategy. But council officials insisted that the plans for Anfield, Breckfield, Edge Hill and Picton areas of the city, have not been shelved. They say the minister has called for more information about the plans before deciding whether there should be a public inquiry.
In the meanwhile, the minister has issued a formal notice to the council banning them from granting any planning approvals without authorisation from the Government.
The Government move comes as a public inquiry into compulsory purchase orders for around 1,000 homes in the four areas continues.
Objectors to the CPO orders were last night considering whether they should call for the public inquiry to be halted pending a definitive decision from the minister about the so-called Pathways regeneration strategy in Liverpool.
Liberal councillor Steve Radford said last night: "We are delighted the Government is seeing the mismanagement by the council for what it is.
"This has all been about fast-tracking demolition of thousands of houses, rather than about the future of these areas.
"This illustrates the sheer shallowness of the council's vision. We as a party have been objectors to this wholesale massacre of our communities since day one. We thought the days of bulldozing our communities had been dispatched to the history books.
"Our contention is that Liverpool City Council has a policy of de-populating certain areas of the city and in total 12,000 terraced houses are at risk. We hope that this stop order will expose the strategy for what is." In the meanwhile, the minister has issued a formal notice to the council banning them from granting any planning approvals without authorisation from the Government.
The Government move comes as a public inquiry into compulsory purchase orders for around 1,000 homes in the four areas continues.
Objectors to the CPO orders were last night considering whether they should call for the public inquiry to be halted pending a definitive decision from the minister about the so-called Pathways regeneration strategy in Liverpool.
Liberal councillor Steve Radford said last night: "We are delighted the Government is seeing the mismanagement by the council for what it is.
"This has all been about fast-tracking demolition of thousands of houses, rather than about the future of these areas.
"This illustrates the sheer shallowness of the council's vision. We as a party have been objectors to this wholesale massacre of our communities since day one. We thought the days of bulldozing our communities had been dispatched to the history books.
"Our contention is that Liverpool City Council has a policy of de-populating certain areas of the city and in total 12,000 terraced houses are at risk. We hope that this stop order will expose the strategy for what it is." |
