New hopes for 08 start on Garden Festival site

Aug 14 2007 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

The dragon-like cutter on the demolition crane prepares to take its first bite of the dome at Liverpool's International Garden Festival site. Picture: TONY KENWRIGHT _400

BUILDING work on a development at Liver-pool’s derelict Interna-tional Garden Festival could start next year, after a date was set for an inquiry into the plans.

Developers Langtree McLean last night said the early announcement of a date for the public inquiry, set to last for eight days from October 30, paved the way for work to start in 2008.

Last month the Government “called in” the controversial applica-tion for 1,308 flats and 66 houses on land which has fallen into neglect since the 1984 festival.

The £250m plan also includes restoration of 56 acres of parkland at Otterspool – including the Japanese and Chinese gardens – which Langtree McLean intend-ed reopening in time for the city’s Capital of Culture celebrations.

But Ruth Kelly, in her role as Communities and Local Government Mini-ster, said she decided to call in the application because it involved plan-ning issues of “more than local importance”. She considered that the proposals might conflict with national housing guidelines, but the decision prompted fears a lengthy inquiry could considerably delay the start of building work.

Managing director of Langtree John Downes said: “We still have a chance of getting some of the regeneration done in 2008 now.

The scheme has faced fierce opposition from Save the Festival Gard-ens campaign group who want the whole site as public parkland.