GATEACRE PARK DRIVE. Application ref. 07O/0483 has been submitted to erect a replacement neighbourhood shopping centre with associated car parking and service delivery areas, following demolition of the existing buildings (i.e. all of the existing shop units including the former KwikSave store and Othello's restaurant). This is an Outline application only: the drawings show about 130 parking spaces (compared with the existing 53), a service yard at the rear, together with new buildings accommodating a mix of food and non-food retail uses. The new blocks will be subdivided 'to suit occupancy', and no design details are currently available. The official closing date for comments was 29th March, though a decision on the application is unlikely to be made until May.

GRANGE LANE. Application 07O/0891 has been submitted to redevelop the site of Gateacre Comprehensive School 'by the erection of 114 dwellings and the layout of a children's play space and landscape amenity area (existing playing fields to remain)'. This again is an Outline application, to establish the principle of residential development so as to enable the plans for moving the School to Belle Vale to proceed. Liverpool architects Taylor Young were commissioned by the City Council to draw up a scheme, and their plans envisage a housing estate within the 'footprint' of the existing school, accessed from Grange Lane. The application is available for inspection at Millennium House, Victoria Street, Liverpool, and individual letters inviting comments have been sent to a large number of local residents - the closing date now being 25th April.

BLACKWOOD AVENUE. Application 07PT/0352 was submitted in February to erect a 12-metre tall 'imitation telegraph pole' phone mast, and associated equipment cabins, on the central reservation of Blackwood Avenue at the junction with Woolton Road. We sent in an objection, and were pleased to hear that permission was refused on 28th March.