Date: 28 June 2006
To: Development Control Division
Regeneration, Planning and Building Control
Liverpool City Council
Municipal Buildings
Dale Street, Liverpool L2 2DH

Dear Sirs,

FORMER CLEGGS FELT FACTORY, GATEACRE BROW, LIVERPOOL L25
Application No.06F/0294 - Planning Committee 4th July Item 8

Thank you for notifying me of the inclusion of this application on the Planning Committee's Agenda. I have downloaded the relevant Reports from the Council's website, and note with some surprise that the planning application (together with the associated listed building and conservation area consent applications) is being recommended for approval.

As I personally am unable to attend on 4th July, please would you ensure that the following comments are brought to the attention of the Planning Committee before it makes a decision on the matter:

1. The representations of the Gateacre Society, which were contained in an email dated 27 February 2006, have been very severely edited for the purpose of the Case Officer Report, and some important points - many of which support the representations of local residents and other interested parties - have been omitted altogether. For example:

Materials (point 6). "We also believe that copper and zinc would be inappropriate roofing materials, in a Conservation Area where virtually all of the existing roofs ... are of natural slate".

Height (point 7). "The new blocks will also have an overshadowing effect on the neighbouring properties in Halewood Road and Lower Sandfield".

Parking (point 8). "Bearing in mind the size of the apartments and the price range suggested by the applicant ... we feel that they are unlikely to attract single-person households and it is unreasonable to expect that there will only be one car-owner within each. It is difficult to see where the residents and their visitors will be able to park without causing an obstruction to other vehicles and/or pedestrians".

Access (point 10). "We believe that physical measures (e.g. metal flaps on the road surface) will need to be included - and maintained in perpetuity - in the interests of highway and pedestrian safety, to prevent the gateway being used as an exit point".

Dwelling type (point 12). "We do feel that the long-term conservation of the Listed brewhouse … is more likely if an attractive residential environment is created alongside it. We are not convinced that an apartment development of the type proposed is the answer. There would appear, at the present time, to be an over-supply of apartments in Gateacre ... A 'mews-style' development - ideally designed with elderly residents in mind - would, we feel, be more in keeping with the area, more saleable, and less likely to cause traffic and parking problems".

continued . . .