Edge Lane Development

[Howie]

Author inspired by fight to save Edge Lane homes
Feb 27 2007
by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post



LIVERPOOL writer Jimmy McGovern will soon become an even more high-profile name than he is already, with three major productions in the pipeline – and they could not be more different from each other.

Two will be set during controversial periods of history. One is a film on the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, with Hollywood star Scarlet Johansson in the lead role as the doomed queen, while the other is a stage play which compares the slaves of America’s Deep South with those who toiled in the mills in the north-west of England.

The third, however, will be right up to date and will be a hard-hitting dramatisation of the issues surrounding the Edge Lane regeneration project.

McGovern said he was drawn to the subject because of the outrage he felt over the way council leaders had handled the project.

The west end of Edge Lane has been earmarked for demolition and redevelopment for some time, but it has witnessed a stand-off between planners and local residents reluctant to leave their homes.

The proposals form part of the Government's New Heartlands strategy and will include a new dual carriageway providing improved road links to the M62 motorway.

McGovern – no stranger to controversy with earlier works including one on the Hillsborough tragedy – launched a scathing attack on the redevelopment project, which he said would destroy some “wonderful houses”.

The 57-year-old writer said his brother, Joseph, 59, who owns a three-bedroomed house in the area, was one of those affected by the proposals.

He added: “Joe has been offered just £65,000 under the Compulsory Purchase Order, in spite of the fact that developers are planning to build apartments on the site, starting at £125,000 for a one-bed flat.

“How can anyone possibly claim that is fair? It is impossible to buy anything with £65,000 these days.”



He added: “There is a very strong aesthetic argument in all of this. These are houses with beautiful facades which, if they were in London, would be appreciated for exactly how splendid they are. As Liverpool approaches its Culture Year, the council is knocking down rows of wonderful houses – and for what?

“All professional opinion is that the city centre cannot cope with the current levels of traffic, so how will a two-lane entry road help that? It is not a sustainable answer, we need to reduce congestion with green schemes such as park and ride, not add to it.”

Although this work is still in its early stages, another – called King Cotton – will mark McGovern’s return to the stage after 25 years.

It has been commissioned by the Liverpool Culture Company and The Lowry at Salford Quays, where the production will have its world premiere in September, followed by an opening at the Liverpool Empire later in the month.

The musical play, which features a full brass band, will mark the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade, but McGovern will also use it to explore his theory that Britain’s mill workers were the forgotten slaves of the 18th century.

The new project sets a cotton plantation slave from the Deep South against a mill worker at the time of the Lancashire cotton famine, reflecting McGovern’s view that the plight of northern England’s mill workers has been overlooked.

He said: “Research has been done which shows that people died younger in the mills than in the cotton fields.”

The work is adapted from an idea by local musician Ian Brownbill, who approached the author about doing a play on the cotton famine, which occurred when the American Civil War halted cotton imports and mill workers were left to starve.

The film of Mary Queen of Scots is due for release next year, and will concentrate on her strained personal and political relationship with her cousin, Elizabeth I, during whose reign the Scottish queen was executed.

alanweston@dailypost.co.uk

Source: icLiverpool

[theninesisters]

My Edge Lane website is to be launched in the Sunday Times this sunday so if I get the all clear, I'll post the website address up here on Saturday so you can all have a sneak preview.

I'm still going through lots of legal documents else I'd have posted it last week for your perusal.

[AK1]

Anyone know what's happening with the Littlewoods building? I know that Urban Splash are going to refurbish it and I have noticed some scaffolding on a small section of it, but there is nothing on their website and there has been no news on how the development is coming along.

[theninesisters]

Anyone know what's happening with the Littlewoods building? I know that Urban Splash are going to refurbish it and I have noticed some scaffolding on a small section of it, but there is nothing on their website and there has been no news on how the development is coming along.

I'll hijack this thread with my already announced www.edgelane.moonfruit.com website

Littlewoods is to be turned in to apartments! Sod knows how they'll do that but bagsie the tower as my bedroom!

[AK1]

I'll hijack this thread with my already announced www.edgelane.moonfruit.com website

Littlewoods is to be turned in to apartments! Sod knows how they'll do that but bagsie the tower as my bedroom!

They are going to add in new floors. It currently only has a ground floor!

[AK1]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6434255.stm

Please Read.

[AK1]

Yet another delaying of the inevitable. This has gone from it being someone fighting for what they believe in, to someone blatantly not caring about their community and being extremely selfish. Surely she must realise that the vast majority of people want the houses demolished and that keeping the houses would be extremely dangerous and unpleasant for both pedestrians and cars.
She is simply misguided and must realise that the houses are going to be demolished eventually. I suspect she is just holding out for more money. If they offered her an extra 10 grand she would be out of there like a shot, but they won't do that as it will look like they are bribing her.
I just hope that LLDC get those CPO's quickly and continue to buy the remaining properties.

http://liverpooldev.co.uk/?ctid=78 Please Read!

[theninesisters]

Yet another delaying of the inevitable. This has gone from it being someone fighting for what they believe in, to someone blatantly not caring about their community and being extremely selfish. Surely she must realise that the vast majority of people want the houses demolished and that keeping the houses would be extremely dangerous and unpleasant for both pedestrians and cars.
She is simply misguided and must realise that the houses are going to be demolished eventually. I suspect she is just holding out for more money. If they offered her an extra 10 grand she would be out of there like a shot, but they won't do that as it will look like they are bribing her.
I just hope that LLDC get those CPO's quickly and continue to buy the remaining properties.

http://liverpooldev.co.uk/?ctid=78 Please Read!

I have to disagree there totally. Having worked with Elizabeth, she is not doing this for the money. She has said that she wouldn't entertain any amount of money, she is now fighting for all the people that have already had to leave their community. Elizabeth works silly hours, despite being disabled and I am in regular contact with her over this.

The council are riding rough shot over all of this and they cannot afford to back down.

You may not have read all of my website but I would draw your attention to :

http://www.edgelane.moonfruit.com/surveys

Click on 'Edge Lane Survey Report' which will show you an independant review by Chartered Building Surveyors - this isn't hearsay - this is the true Survey of each major property which is stated that needs very little more than maintainence.

I agree with both sides of the coin, but for those that want to have their houses demolished, they have just as much say as Elizabeth has at the end of the day.

[AK1]

I understand that some of the houses are ok, but it just isn't safe to keep them. I have looked at your website which clearly shows that the road is just feet from the front door of alot of the houses. It also shows that there would be very little greenery and that the pavement is tiny. There is also nowhere to park any cars therefore all the cars would have to be parked either on the road or on the pavement. The LLDC plan would solve all these issues and create better local amenities for residents.
You can't ignore the fact that most people want the houses gone, and that the LLDC plan won't just widen the road like yours, it will create a better environment and better facilities for local people.
I do actually like those houses and do wish that they could stay, but that just isn't an option in this case. To secure the long term future for this part of Liverpool, the houses must be demolished.
Lastly, with reference to the comment that people where made to move out of their homes, that is completely wrong. The population was already falling rapidly long before LLDC got involved and the fact is most of the residents where waiting for someone like LLDC to come along so they could get out.
Liz is holding back a vital regeneration project for Liverpool that has been in the making for the past 10 years. She must concede defeat and stop being so selfish. She is doing what is in her best interests, not what is in the vast majorities.

[AK1]

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/l...name_page.html

[theninesisters]

I understand that some of the houses are ok, but it just isn't safe to keep them. I have looked at your website which clearly shows that the road is just feet from the front door of alot of the houses. It also shows that there would be very little greenery and that the pavement is tiny. There is also nowhere to park any cars therefore all the cars would have to be parked either on the road or on the pavement. The LLDC plan would solve all these issues and create better local amenities for residents.
You can't ignore the fact that most people want the houses gone, and that the LLDC plan won't just widen the road like yours, it will create a better environment and better facilities for local people.
I do actually like those houses and do wish that they could stay, but that just isn't an option in this case. To secure the long term future for this part of Liverpool, the houses must be demolished.
Lastly, with reference to the comment that people where made to move out of their homes, that is completely wrong. The population was already falling rapidly long before LLDC got involved and the fact is most of the residents where waiting for someone like LLDC to come along so they could get out.
Liz is holding back a vital regeneration project for Liverpool that has been in the making for the past 10 years. She must concede defeat and stop being so selfish. She is doing what is in her best interests, not what is in the vast majorities.

If trying to keep a roof over your head when you have reached the age of 60 without being bullied by the council to leave is being selfish?

Why shouldn't she be doing this? I would be doing exactly the same if I was in her position and I'm sure if it was a member of your family - someone older than the rest of us, you'd give her as much backing as possible.

Is it a crime these days to fight for what you believe in? That is what she is doing and I'm pretty sure we'd do the same if we had to.

I take it you have spoken to some of the ex residents of Edge Lane? Elizabeth let me have a nose through a massive database of residents that had left her a contact address - I have been in touch with over 40 people who said that they wish they had guts like Elizabeth and only wish they had stayed and supported her.

If you are talking to more people than I am on the subject then I really must be speaking to the wrong people.

[AK1]

Firstly, if I was in her position, even though I would be upset at leaving my house, I would still leave. I would look at the bigger picture and realise that most people want this development and I wouldn't get in the way of a project that is going to improve hundreds of lives.
People do have a right to fight for what they believe in, but if you and a few others are the only ones and there are hundreds more that believe the opposite, it is only right to concede that you are wrong.
Finally, lets not forget that a 200 signature petition was handed in to LLDC last week from local residents who want the properties demolished. All these signatures where collected in just one day!
The needs of the many!!!

[theninesisters]

Firstly, if I was in her position, even though I would be upset at leaving my house, I would still leave. I would look at the bigger picture and realise that most people want this development and I wouldn't get in the way of a project that is going to improve hundreds of lives.
People do have a right to fight for what they believe in, but if you and a few others are the only ones and there are hundreds more that believe the opposite, it is only right to concede that you are wrong.
Finally, lets not forget that a 200 signature petition was handed in to LLDC last week from local residents who want the properties demolished. All these signatures where collected in just one day!
The needs of the many!!!

I admire the people who want to leave and admire your stance on this too. Someone really should get together from their side of the coin and try and do the opposite to what Elizabeth is doing. Democracy and all that.

[christy]

I understand that some of the houses are ok, but it just isn't safe to keep them. I have looked at your website which clearly shows that the road is just feet from the front door of alot of the houses. It also shows that there would be very little greenery and that the pavement is tiny. There is also nowhere to park any cars therefore all the cars would have to be parked either on the road or on the pavement. The LLDC plan would solve all these issues and create better local amenities for residents.
You can't ignore the fact that most people want the houses gone, and that the LLDC plan won't just widen the road like yours, it will create a better environment and better facilities for local people.
I do actually like those houses and do wish that they could stay, but that just isn't an option in this case. To secure the long term future for this part of Liverpool, the houses must be demolished.
Lastly, with reference to the comment that people where made to move out of their homes, that is completely wrong. The population was already falling rapidly long before LLDC got involved and the fact is most of the residents where waiting for someone like LLDC to come along so they could get out.
Liz is holding back a vital regeneration project for Liverpool that has been in the making for the past 10 years. She must concede defeat and stop being so selfish. She is doing what is in her best interests, not what is in the vast majorities.

It is not true to say keeping these houses would be dangerous. Both proposals will actually slow the traffic down in mph terms but speed the journey through better management. Also having the front doors 'just feet' away from the road as you say, will make little difference to anything or anybody. Do you believe that all of the Victorian and Edwardian shops/shopping districts around the country should immediately be demolished due to the shop doorways being too close to the road? Surely busy shopping streets like County road, Allerton road and Old Swan would be more dangerous with people moving in and out of shops into others walking on the pavement?
As for parking, a bit of imagination would show that as the buildings are empty or being emptied and would be converted into flats/apartments then the parking could be placed at the rear with further entrances there.
Greenery again is not so important on a road like this because it is what it is, an urban innercity road. Yes greenary is pleasant but the planting that approaches this section is sufficient. Again if people where desperate for planting, a bit of imagination by the architects would solve this. Planting does not just have to be trees lining a road.
I understand your point based on the facts that you and the developers are putting forward, however, these 'facts' are mistruths and therefore invalid.
What makes me most angry, is that what the developers plan to replace these substantial houses with pastiche new brick rubbish that would look more at home on the outskirts of Birchwood,Warrington and will impress nobody approaching our city. It will simply make the approach look provincial and cheap. If we have to put up with eventually losing this piece of our heritage, at least replace it with something better!!!

[theninesisters]

It is not true to say keeping these houses would be dangerous. Both proposals will actually slow the traffic down in mph terms but speed the journey through better management. Also having the front doors 'just feet' away from the road as you say, will make little difference to anything or anybody. Do you believe that all of the Victorian and Edwardian shops/shopping districts around the country should immediately be demolished due to the shop doorways being too close to the road? Surely busy shopping streets like County road, Allerton road and Old Swan would be more dangerous with people moving in and out of shops into others walking on the pavement?
As for parking, a bit of imagination would show that as the buildings are empty or being emptied and would be converted into flats/apartments then the parking could be placed at the rear with further entrances there.
Greenery again is not so important on a road like this because it is what it is, an urban innercity road. Yes greenary is pleasant but the planting that approaches this section is sufficient. Again if people where desperate for planting, a bit of imagination by the architects would solve this. Planting does not just have to be trees lining a road.
I understand your point based on the facts that you and the developers are putting forward, however, these 'facts' are mistruths and therefore invalid.
What makes me most angry, is that what the developers plan to replace these substantial houses with pastiche new brick rubbish that would look more at home on the outskirts of Birchwood,Warrington and will impress nobody approaching our city. It will simply make the approach look provincial and cheap. If we have to put up with eventually losing this piece of our heritage, at least replace it with something better!!!

It was also interesting to note that the Judge quashed the latest CPO as he also agreed that these houses were perfectly safe.