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A heritage charity has launched a campaign in a bid to take Liverpool City Council to the Court of Appeal, opposing plans to demolish more than 10 buildings on Lime Street.
SAVE Britain’s Heritage hopes to raise the £12,500 needed to proceed with further legal action after their opposition to plans, which would see the demolition of the Futurist Cinema building and others, was dismissed last month.
In a statement, SAVE Director Clem Cecil said: “We are heartened by the response to our fundraising appeal.
“It is important to remember that despite Lime Street’s present dilapidated appearance, repairing the street could lead to a significant uplift, improving the economy of the area and creating a place where people want to spend time.”
The group is now citing “insufficient consultation” as one of three main grounds of appeal and it claims the council acted improperly. A spokesperson for SAVE, Mike Fox, told JMU Journalism: “The council failed to notify the Department for Culture, Media and Sport before approving the plans. Our argument is that demolishing the site would impact negatively on the area.”
The ongoing dispute sees campaigners challenge plans approved by the council which would see the site redeveloped into student accommodation and a shopping mall.
Liverpool’s status as a World Heritage Site (WHS) is to be reconsidered by UNESCO in 2017 and demolishing the area poses “a greater risk” to this status, according to Mr Fox. He said: “Liverpool’s WHS status extends far beyond just the Albert Dock, right up to St George’s Hall and this area is right in the ‘Buffer Zone’ – you can see it from St George’s Hall.”
The fundraising has raised more than £2,000 in public donations in 10 days and is the charity’s last chance to appeal the decision.