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The Bellefield Saga


Louis

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Planning Inspector Karen Ridge rejected Everton's appeal against Liverpool City Council's rejection of the club's application to build 74 homes on the site of Bellefield. This means that the club will need to find £8million from somewhere else to put towards the stadium development.

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Sounds like the council are just being difficult to me...

 

"The truly disappointing aspect of this is that the politcians who run this city went against the recommendations of the Council's own planning experts. In such circumstances you have to ask, why is that? What is the point in employing experienced and learned experts if you are simply going to ignore their advice?"

 

"Over the past few years we have constantly shown a willingness to work with Liverpool City Council to safeguard the long-term future of our football club...sadly, it does not appear to be a reciprocal arrangement."

 

"The council's own Director of Planning threw his weight behind this project - he believed it to be both sensible and suitable - and so did we."

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did you expect anything else every concievable move everton have made from day one has been blocked or hit with council dissaprovement nothing suprises me not since we first applied for stanley park got knocked back and that lot over the road were given it the whole thing stinks it turns my stomach it really does

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I've heard that Peter Johnson wanted to build a car park opposite the cemetery on Stanley Park but was told no, informally. It may just be chinese whispers and we'll never know until Peter Johnson/David Henshaw says one way or the other.

 

I'm not going to disagree - I think it was a political move too, Liverpool City Council protecting their interests (more to do with retail possibly). It was a very brave tactic and could come back to haunt the council in the local elections.

 

Elstone always knew this was a possibility (a likely one - even David Wilson homes pulled out) when he took over from Wyness and I don't think it's wise of him to lambaste the council for a decision an independent planning officer made in the local media. Pin the tail on the scapegoat.

 

The rejection has closed one door, but it has opened the possibility of a land swap. LCC may be convinced to provide some land near the city centre in exchange for Bellefield to do with as they please. If Elstone was shrewd enough he could stitch up the council so they couldn't develop houses on Bellefield.

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  • 1 year later...

I was talking to a chap the other day and he said his company were one of many bidders interested in using Bellefield as a housing redevelopment project, he said it's a prime area and highly sought after.

 

Does anyone know if this could now get the green light with the new government/ local council changes?

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I was talking to a chap the other day and he said his company were one of many bidders interested in using Bellefield as a housing redevelopment project, he said it's a prime area and highly sought after.

 

Does anyone know if this could now get the green light with the new government/ local council changes?

 

 

Daily Post today says we are resubmitting plans

 

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/everton-fc/everton-fc-news/2010/06/27/everton-fc-to-make-new-bellefield-training-ground-homes-plan-100252-26737709/

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  • 3 months later...

It was expected, 26th was optimistic. There are FOUR mortgages (two to Adams Bank and two to Barclays) attached to this plan :blink: Hopefully it'll leave enough for breathing space (cash flow) once they're be paid off. I think it'd be naive to think it would all '£10m' go to Moyes' transfer pot. I expect it'll be approved ultimately.

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I'd usually agree but this time I don't. I'd say that the move to Kirkby may have played a large part in the reasons for the council to reject the application. At the time Councillors were under pressure to reject it from local residents and it was cited as a major source of income to pay for the new stadium, by rejecting the proposal the council would have removed a 'Jenga block' from the Kirkby plan which would result in keeping £7m a year in their boundary.

 

There were valid reasons for its rejection: http://www.pcs.plann...on%20Letter.pdf

 

Everton's application met the criteria of (i) the effect of the proposal on the residential amenity of surrounding residents having regard to increased traffic movements; and

 

but failed to meet (ii) the acceptability of the proposed residential development having regard to: ( a ) loss of green space, ( b ) housing land supply matters and ( c ) its effect on the Housing Market Renewal Initiative.

So it was rejected.

 

Some of the obstacles have since been overcome so it has a better chance of approval this time around (although it is still controversial). If it wasn't for the fact it was Everton involved would anyone bar local residents really be bothered? Probably not.

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