Mann Island/ New Liverpool Museum Area

[Waterways]

And what in your mind constitutes as "super modern?"

Not red brick

[Howie]

'Wedges'

pulled at eleventh hour
Oct 25 2006
By Sam Lister Daily Post

Staff



CONTENTIOUS plans to

build three wedge-shaped apartment blocks near Liverpool's Three Graces were withdrawn just hours before a meeting to decide their fate

yesterday.

Officials in charge of monitoring the World Heritage waterfront handed over their report into the plans late on Monday night, causing

confusion among city planners.

Although the emergency report by architecture experts from Unesco found the scheme was unlikely to affect the city's

heritage title, it recommended the council should be "cautious" about the plans, as well as those for the equally controversial proposed museum.

The

application has now been delayed for two weeks while the council works out the legal

implications.

Story continues...

[Paul D]

It looks like they'll still be approved in 2 weeks time though.

[Kev]

A CAR showroom, built in the 1930s, should be listed to prevent it from being

demolished as part of the Mann Island redevelopment, a pressure group said last night.

The influential Twentieth Century Society wants the neoclassical

building saved and brought back to use.

Currently, it will have to be flattened to allow a mixed use development by Neptune and Countryside

Developments, consisting of three wedge-shaped blocks faced with black granite.

The garage was designed to blend with the Mersey Tunnel Ventilation

Tower, designed by celebrated Liverpool architect Herbert Rowse, who was also responsible for India Buildings, Martins Bank Building and the Philharmonic

Hall.

In a plea to Liverpool City Council, society director, Catherine Croft, says: "In order to clear the Mann Island site, a neoclassical former

garage will have to be demolished. This is a good example of a scarce building type that we feel should be listed and ideally retained."

Ms Croft adds

in a report to the planning department that the government's own conservation agency had praised the building.

She said: "We note that the English

Heritage Inspector's report concluded 'The building appears to be well maintained and capable of ongoing beneficial use'."

The planning committee

meets next week to consider whether the go-ahead should be given to the three wedges with planning officers recommending approval.

The Twentieth Century

Society has told the council it wishes to object.

Ms Croft states: "We feel that the proposals would have a major impact on an outstanding group of 20th

century listed buildings.

"Unesco's designation of the site specifically requests the UK to ensure that the setting of the Liverpool maritime

waterfront is not compromised by unsympathetic high rise development adjacent to the site."

The society's North West chairman Aidan Turner-Bishop also

voiced concerns.

Last night he said: "Liverpool's Pier Head site is so precious in an international context that it's very worrying it is being

treated as it is, by the council and developers.

"There needs to be a proper site management plan, preferably independently monitored.

"To approve

any developments which contravene a decision by Unesco would be premature and ill-considered."

City officials insist the Neptune scheme, as well as the

proposedMuseum of Liverpool scheme by National Museums Liverpool, will not compromise or threaten the coveted World Heritage Status.



larryneild@dailypost.co.uk

[Harry]

Its only a matter of time before the 22nd century association in Liverpool want a dog turd listing.
Ridiculous!!!

[Kev]

A £120m plan to transform Mann Island alongside Liverpool’s World Heritage

waterfront was approved by councillors this afternoon.

Despite protests by conservationists the scheme won the go-ahead on the casting vote of the

planning committee chairman Cllr Lady Doreen Jones.

Committee member Peter Allen urged the committee to defer a final decision until a report is produced

in mid-December by a World Heritage Site mission from UNESCO but this suggestion was rejected. The committee was divided 4-4, which brought into play the

casting vote.

Developers Neptune and Countryside Properties now plan to start work on April on three granite-faced buildings that will provide

apartments, offices, leisure facilities and an under-cover wintergarden area.

Neptune managing director Steve Parry said the site opposite the Port of

Liverpool Building at the Pier Head was one of the most important in the North West.

Opponents protested that some of the world-famous views of

Liverpool’s Three Graces will be lost forever as a result of the decision.

The committee was told that the project posed no threat to Liverpool’s status

as a World Heritage Site.

A mission from UNESCO was in Liverpool last month to investigate claims that the coveted status could be at risk from

insensitive development schemes.

TAKE a virtual tour of the Mann Island

proposals here (© Uniform Communications Ltd)



Source.....

[The Teardrop Explodes]

what a crap decision.

these are going to be windswept pig ugly lumps.

[ChrisGeorge]

The new building looks

like a monsterosity to me. Little better than the defeated Fourth Grace proposal.

Chris

[AK1]

At first I hated this proposal, but over the past few months I have begun to like these

buildings. The revised design looks better than the original and alot of time and effort seems to have gone into it. I think that this project will be one of

those that is controvercial, but when it is complete I think people will actually like it and it will probably become one of the most liked buildings in the

city.

[Paul D]

The

new building looks like a monsterosity to me. Little better than the defeated Fourth Grace proposal.

Chris

Some angles

work better than others I reckon I'm hoping all the doubters will change their opinions when it's built.

[Paul D]

The new building looks like a monsterosity to me. Little better than the defeated Fourth Grace proposal.



Chris

City waterfront plan to go ahead

A £120m development on the site of Liverpool's doomed Fourth Grace,

has been given the go-ahead.
The waterfront scheme consists of three wedge-shaped buildings on Mann Island, built next to the controversial X-shaped

Museum of Liverpool.

The city's planning committee gave its approval on Tuesday.

The decision had been delayed after concerns were raised

about whether it would affect the waterfront's World Heritage Status.

Inspectors visited the city, and the council said their preliminary report was

"positive". A more extensive report is not expected until next year.

Opponents claim the buildings, two of which will be residential, could harm the

area's architectural heritage.


Will Alsop's controversial design was eventually rejected

Among the groups opposing the scheme include

the Liverpool Preservation Trust, The Victorian Society and Albert Dock Residents' Association.

The three granite-clad buildings would house more

than 300 apartments in two buildings, as well as offices, shops, bars and restaurants.

Developers Neptune and Countryside Properties said the

buildings would frame views of the city's Three Graces - the Port of Liverpool Building, Cunard Building and the Liver Building.

Steve Parry,

managing director of Neptune Developments, said: "We are delighted to be finally moving ahead with this scheme.

'Positive support'

"This is

a not only one of the key development sites for Liverpool but one of the most important in the whole of the North West.

"The overwhelmingly positive

support we received is reflected in the decision of planning committee."

The plans were backed by English Heritage, Liverpool Vision and the North

West Development Agency.

Plans for a Fourth Grace - Will Alsop's "The Cloud" - were dropped in 2004, after they were deemed "unworkable".

[Kev]

@Paul, already posted on page 2, snap!

[Paul D]

@Paul, already posted on page 2, snap!

It just shows you I've got my finger on the pulse,erm

eventually.

[Kev]

An exhibition of the planned multi-million pound re-development of Liverpool's waterfront has been put on show at the city's Maritime Museum.



Visitors can experience a computer animated 'fly through' of the Mann Island changes, said developers Neptune and Countryside Properties.

Building work is to start early in the new year.

The exhibition is open until 21 December and visitors can leave their comments in a special book.

'Under-used asset'

Plans for the Mann Island site include a new £65m Museum of Liverpool, an extension to the Leeds Liverpool Canal, a £120m mixed-use development as well as improvements to areas for public use.

The new waterfront scheme is expected to create over 800 new jobs, as well as increase the number of visitors, said the developers.

"We're beginning to see a very positive change on the city's waterfront," said Jim Gill, Liverpool Vision's Chief Executive.

"Although the Pier Head and Mann Island present the city's image to the rest of the world, the area is one of the city's most under-used assets.

"The transformation of Mann Island is key to our ambitions of making the City Centre Waterfront a visitor destination of international significance," he added.

source.......

[Kev]

THE Merseyside Civic Society has urged local government minister Ruth Kelly to intervene in plans for a multi-million pound development close to Liverpool Pier Head. more