Listed building consent for the demolition of the ABBOTS LEA STABLE BLOCK (see last Newsletter) was granted by the government's Department for Communities & Local Government (DCLG) on 21st February. Legally the City Council, as owner of the building, could not give itself permission to demolish, so had to refer it to the DCLG. Our objection was taken into account, as was the statement by Florence Gersten (of the Save Our City Campaign) who had addressed the Council's Planning Committee on 29th January. However the DCLG ruled that the benefits of allowing the proposed new classrooms would outweigh the loss of the stable block.

Planning permission for the building of a block of flats on the site of ST GREGORY'S HOUSE, Halewood Road (see last Newsletter) was granted by Liverpool City Council's Planning Committee on 12th March. We had expressed concern about the number of flats (20) and about the paving-over of almost the whole of the front 'garden' area to provide a parking space for each flat. As a result of our comments, the number of parking spaces was reduced to 16 - which the Planning Officer considers will still be adequate, given the likely age profile of the residents.

A planning application (ref. 13F/0306) has been submitted to build a single-storey, flat-roofed dwelling in the garden of 3 OAKFIELD TERRACE, Cuckoo Lane, accessed from Oakfield Avenue. This is an alternative to the previous application for a two-storey house which was refused by the Council (and by a Planning Inspector on appeal) in 2012. We have reiterated our long-standing objections to the development of this land, on the grounds that it would adversely affect the setting of the Listed terrace, and would have undesirable consequences for tree cover and wildlife habitat. The Council's decision is awaited.