Comment: Compromise the best way forward

Jan 8 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

THE comments made by Tony Bradshaw, Emeritus Professor of Botany at University of Liverpool, regarding the former International Garden Festival site, could hardly be more unequivocal.

A world authority in restoring derelict and contaminated land, Prof Bradshaw hit out at development plans for the site, saying proposals to build 1,300 flats would "wreck the carefully designed and unique qualities of the crucial coast range adjacent to the river".

His submission was made to the public inquiry set up to help determine whether developers Langtree McLean should be allowed to create a new housing complex at the Otterspool site.

Prof Bradshaw says the former garden festival site provides a major contribution to the heritage of wildlife and biodiversity of Merseyside, and is equal to, or better than, any of the best coastal parks existing in Britain.

Such is the professor’s authority in this field – he has published extensively on the restoration of derelict and con- taminated land, and acted for national governments and councils across the world in public inquiries on the subject – that his views merit serious attention.

As such, and with all due respect to protesters from Save the Festival Gardens Campaign, they will carry far more weight than those expressed by people who have their own agenda and have long been opposed to the building of apartments on the site.

Nevertheless, Prof Bradshaw’s statement will act as a considerable boost to that campaign, although it remains to be seen how much influence it will have on the planning inspector’s final recommendation on whether or not the scheme should go ahead.

But, given the long period of neglect into which the Garden Festival site has fallen, it is fair to ask how long this situation can continue.

At present, it is a wasted resource. Surely it would be possible for some compromise to be reached to bring the site back into use, while preserving and nurturing all the unique qualities which Prof Bradshaw has identified in his evidence to the inquiry?