Friday 16 November 2007

SAVE THE FESTIVAL GARDENS PUBLIC INQUIRY

The public inquiry has been running for 3 weeks and will now recommence in January 2008. There has not been enough time to cover everything during the inquiry at the Adelphi hotel, Liverpool.

The Garden Festival Campaign was out in force daily and put across an expert case for keeping our 'Green Wedge' for the people of Liverpool rather than allowing over 1300 apartments to be built by property developers Langtree McLean.

The Sefton room where the inquiry took place looked great with the Campaigners' displays which included a giant tree banner which said "SAVE THE FESTIVAL GARDENS' hanging high in one of the alcoves. Well done to those local people who made it.

There was also a giant colourful map (thanks to John Davies) of the Festival Site covered with post-it notes stuck on at the successful Futures Day held on October 27th at Lark Lane. The post-it notes were peoples hopes for the site.

There seems to be a desire for an ECO environmental centre like an EARTHSHIP and various nature style things like bike trails, nature trails and of course lots of trees.
There were plenty of photos, books, leaflets and literature relating to the Garden Festival, placards
(including SAVE THE PROM), a huge Earthship display board and giant photos of before and after the tree massacre (felled without permission by developers).

Big thanks to everyone who helped in any way whatsoever. We will continue to Save our Garden Festival Site.

***********************************************
***********NEWS FLASH************************

The property developers have been told to amend their "incorrect boundaries" regarding the Otterspool Prom 'land grab'. They have been pulled up for taking EVEN MORE of our public land. Well done to Garden Festival Campaigners for finding this out.

Tuesday 9 October 2007

Riverside Residents Association Survey for Garden Festival Site (1999 ?)


Local residents Woodland and Wildlife ideas




I conducted a survey asking local people what they would like to see on the Garden Festival Site and most wanted it to stay as it was..If any developments are to be put there they need to be things like an 'Earthship'. This is an Environmental Centre one of which has just opened in Brighton. check out www.lowcarbon.co.uk/earthships.html or http://www.visitbrighton.com/news/799asp for details

Friday 28 September 2007

Otterspool Prom ...Land given away to Property Developers


I believe some of the Otterspool Prom public land, by the Brittannia pub and adjacent to the Garden Festival Site will be given away to the property developers at a council meeting after about 10 minutes 'debate'. This is after the council said they had no intention of handing over the prom public land to Langtree McLean,  handily just before the local elections recently. I suggest emailing colin.green@liv.gov.uk if you object to this.
t

Thursday 6 September 2007

FUTURE FESTIVAL GARDEN

Saturday October 27th 11am-3pm at Old Police Station, Lark Lane, Liverpool. The event may continue until late evening.

Have your say on what you'd like to see at the Garden Festival Site next to the River Mersey in Otterspool. In the police station there will be a space for children with games, help make a woodland collage, posters and face painting hopefully.

There will be a talk on ideas for the future of the Garden Festival Site.
Some food and drink available for donations and some local music.
Please come along and show your support for our Green Space.
Keep checking website listed below for up to date news on our campaign.

*********************NEWSFLASH*****************************************************
Futures Day was attended by about 200 people who sat in at workshops to 'have their say' and listen to an Earthship talk.
There was a film to watch, banners to make and lots of Garden Festival stuff and Earthship things to look at. Lovely food and drink and live music from Kevin followed by Stan the harpist finished the day. Thanks to all those who helped to create this.

Monday 3 September 2007

PUBLIC ENQUIRY IN LIVERPOOL OCTOBER 2007

The enquiry is to be held for 12 days starting October 30th 2007.
It will be held at the Adelphi hotel in the Sefton room.
We are currently collecting as many letters of objection to the plan to build 1,300 flats on the Garden Festival Site. For letter download see website listed below.

Saturday 21 July 2007

GARDEN FESTIVAL CAMPAIGN WEBSITE

http:/www.geocities.com/savethefestivalgardens (might be archived now)

Please look at this site to keep up to date with all the news about the ongoing campaign to save our green space in Liverpool.
The email address is savethefestivalgardens@googlemail.com

Monday 16 July 2007

PUBLIC ENQUIRY granted !

Central Government have realised this case needs to be looked at properly and have agreed to carry out a full public enquiry.
They are sure to realise that the development of the Garden Festival Site needs to take into account the strong local feelings of objection.
Over 900 letters sent in to ask for this public enquiry. We will continue to keep up our campaign for this green space to remain.

Tuesday 29 May 2007

BENEFIT GIG FOR GARDEN FESTIVAL CAMPAIGN

We are currently putting together a fundraising night of bands,acoustic sets and d.j.s at Liverpool Cricket Club sometime soon.
Look out for details on this site and locally.

Thursday 24 May 2007

WRITE TO THIS ADDRESS to demand FULL PUBLIC ENQUIRY

Michael Ashton
060/3442
Government office for the North West
Sunley Tower
Piccadilly Plaza
Manchester
M1 4BE

Tuesday 22 May 2007

BETRAYED by Liverpool City Council planning committee

The Planning Game.
'Screw the skylarks' seems to be the planning committee's attitude regarding the Garden Festival Site.
At the meeting on Monday 21st May in the Council Chambers at Liverpool Town Hall 'outline' planning permission for the flats was given and full planning permission for the 'manicured' park.

We've had feedback that we made an excellent case which was then totally bypassed, but the council officers were huddled in a corner having an uncomfortable time and the developers (Felltree McLean !) when questioned about tree felling outside the licence actually hung their heads in shame and a few blushed.

They claimed these extra trees needed to be felled due to them being dead and also anti social behaviour at the Festival Garden Site, but the only bad behaviour seems to be theirs.
This was enforced when they were informed that the Forestry Commission had definitely Not given permission for all this destruction.

There had been a tip off by a councillor regarding the outcome before the meeting started and if the decision hadn't already been made in advance to give approval, at minimum the decision would have been deferred.
This is Garbage on a Garbage Dump. What a STITCH UP !

There is a meeting on Wednesday May 23rd at the usual place to discuss the next step....possibly a Public Enquiry.......We'll keep you posted.

Thursday 17 May 2007

GARDEN FESTIVAL SITE TREES ILLEGALLY FELLED ACCORDING TO FELLING LICENCE

The felling licence 010/56/05-06 was issued on 20/10/05 by
The Forestry Commission, North west England by Peil Wyke, Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria. CA13 9YG. It was sent to :

Langtree McLean
Enterprise House
28 Parkway
Deeside Industrial Park
Deeside
Flintshire.
CH5 2NS.

It appears that over 50% of the growing trees have been ILLEGALLY felled. 204 oak trees have been destroyed even though it was agreed that NONE would be felled. I trust this information is accurate.

Thursday 10 May 2007

TREES FELLED BEFORE PLANNING CONSENT AT GARDEN FESTIVAL SITE







There will be a DEMO/CELEBRATION on the prom at Otterspool by the Brittania pub on Sunday 20th May at 2pm until 5pm.
On Monday 21st May there will be a demo outside the Town Hall at 12.30 during the council meeting with the property developers. All are welcome at these events. PLEASE TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THIS. WWW.OURGROUND.NET website for more information

photos by Tim(ber!) Claydon




Tuesday 8 May 2007

PROPOSED EYESORE FOR OTTERSPOOL

Over a 1000 trees have been chopped down BEFORE PLANNING CONSENT on the Garden Festival Site...some with nesting birds in them.We need all the trees we can get to help make oxygen so we can breathe in this polluted world ! Especially being opposite Ellesmere Port's toxic industrial estates.
This is what the property developers want to build.They are also planning to take some of the prom. Surely the council can keep the green space rather than allow more luxury flats to dominate the area? A third of the new luxury apartments in town are still empty!
We need as much parkland as possible in a city and this isn't good enough.A lot of schools have had their playing fields sold off and lots of people don't have gardens so it is vital we keep areas to relax in.
If you want get involved please e mail Lucy Page at savethefestivalgardens@googlemail.com or by post to :
Lucy Page
Save the garden Festival site Campaign
c/o Community Centre
Old Police Station
Lark Lane
Liverpool L17.

There are also meetings weekly on wednesdays at 6.30pm in Aigburth cricket club near St.Michaels' station, Aigburth.
If you want to write to the council to complain about the plans and tree felling before planning permission please contact
Stuart Clark
060/3442 ( reference number )
Planning Department
Municipal Buildings
Dale Street
Liverpool
L2 2DH