For those who were not at the Town Hall yesterday – or missed NW tonight we got a deferral of the Application – but not before the Committee heard all the arguments for and against.
Peter Copping spoke against the plans on behalf of Regency House and I followed for SoV.
Phil Burke from VBA spoke in favour and so did Francis Hilton as Applicant.
Councillor Ramsbottom raised objections as ward Councillor and Cllr Paul Fairweather and Cllr Mary Murphy as lead councillors for gay and lesbian issues.
So a small victory – but the big date for the diary is 15TH February – 10.30am the Planning Committee will be visiting the site – and we need to mobilise to ensure lots of residents are there and we get maximum publicity.
Then the Committee will sit at 2pm in the Council Chamber – so please put the date in your diary if you may be able to attend and let me know if you would like to get more involved in the final leg of Campaigning.
Regards
Chris Speck
Save Our Village
Update to plans
Following negotiations with English Heritage, the plans for the Whitworth Street facada of the residential building (to my knowledge) will now consist of 55% real sandstone panels. Originally they were going to be all glass with coloured backing to mimic the colour of the brick on surrounding buildings.
Two revised plans are available on the council website or on our website here.
Two revised plans are available on the council website or on our website here.
Planning Hearing Date Announced.
Hi all,
The date for these applications to be considered by the planning committee of Manchester City Council has been announced.
Date: Thursday 18th January 2007
Time: 2PM
Venue: Manchester Town Hall
Room: Council Chamber, Level 3, Town Hall Extension
The meeting is open to the public to attend but there will very limited opportunity for the public to speak. A small number of representatives will be given a couple of minutes.
Chris Speck will speak for Save Our Village and Peter Copping wishes to speak for Regency House – but we won’t have any further opportunity as residents (and I’m told only a few minutes maximum per speaker).
Apparently some changes have been made to the plans as required by English Heritage. This does not change the size of the buildings, but will improve the appearance. I will post more information as soon as I have it.
Chris G
The date for these applications to be considered by the planning committee of Manchester City Council has been announced.
Date: Thursday 18th January 2007
Time: 2PM
Venue: Manchester Town Hall
Room: Council Chamber, Level 3, Town Hall Extension
The meeting is open to the public to attend but there will very limited opportunity for the public to speak. A small number of representatives will be given a couple of minutes.
Chris Speck will speak for Save Our Village and Peter Copping wishes to speak for Regency House – but we won’t have any further opportunity as residents (and I’m told only a few minutes maximum per speaker).
Apparently some changes have been made to the plans as required by English Heritage. This does not change the size of the buildings, but will improve the appearance. I will post more information as soon as I have it.
Chris G
English Heritage Oppose Scheme
English Heritage has confirmed that they are unhappy with the scheme as submitted and are seeking amendments to it.
"Negotiations about amendments are continuing at the moment with the architect and developer, and the intention is to provide advice to the City on an amended scheme in time for the Planning Committee meeting later this month.
Once we give our advice it will be in the public domain and we will be able to let you have a copy."
Tony Lloyd MP is also involved and is requesting the application be 'called in' for consideration by Central Government as it is such a large development on an important World Heritage site.
"Negotiations about amendments are continuing at the moment with the architect and developer, and the intention is to provide advice to the City on an amended scheme in time for the Planning Committee meeting later this month.
Once we give our advice it will be in the public domain and we will be able to let you have a copy."
Tony Lloyd MP is also involved and is requesting the application be 'called in' for consideration by Central Government as it is such a large development on an important World Heritage site.
Outcome of Community Design Exercise 6th October 2006
Community Design Generates Consensus
As part of the investigtion process by residents of the Village Area a community led design event was held by residents. At this they modelled their plans and aspirations on scale models of the Princess Street car park site. This led to a genuine consensus on appropriate designs, and provided examples of alternatives to those proposed by the developer.
The event was facilitated by the local office of URBED – an architectural cooperative based in the Northern Quarter of Manchester who have helped other groups in Manchester, notably in Hulme.
The above image shows photographs of the conference at work.
Apparently Manchester needs more skyscrapers.
Well at least according to the man who earns a living designing them!
I am posting this in response to an article in the Manchester Evening News on 1st December, Beetham Architect wants more skyscrapers.
In the article, Ian Simpson is addressing the critics of his run-of-the-mill glass tower blocks that are appearing on numerous sites in the city centre. He is quoted saying "Manchester must shake-off its Victorian heritage and embrace the skyscraper" and "critics are too concerned about maintaining the city's Victorian appearance at the expense of distinctive architecture".
At least the views and opinions of most visitors and residents have been acknowledged! One comment, the 'Victorian appearance' is distinctive architecture!
My main issue with this article is there seems to be a deliberate blur between "distinctive architechture" and "skyscrapers".
There can be hideous skyscrapers and there can be skyscrapers that are distinctive works of architechture. To state the obvious, there can be distinctive architecture without being tall with many stories. To use the Beetham Tower as an example, I can appreciate the enormous challenge that was met in building it. We've all been there, done that with our Lego as kids. Then we dismantled it and put it away because our Mum wasn't prepared to live with it permanently. Please somebody tell him to take it down now he has completed the challenge. It is a huge, square, all-glass and completely featureless tower. Am I alone in thinking to be distinctive, architecture needs some appreciable unique features?
Simpson seems to be arguing that the only way to achieve modern distinctive architecture is in the form of skyscrapers. Why? The only justification behind this is that property developers are more motivated to invest if they can create more units on a given area of land.
Is that a good reason to embark on a fundamental redesign of the city's appearance as Simpson is arguing?
Maybe if Simpson cut his rates the buildings wouldn't need to be skyscrapers to make the developer a profit!
Chris G
Readers: Please click comments below and leave your feedback on any of these articles.
I am posting this in response to an article in the Manchester Evening News on 1st December, Beetham Architect wants more skyscrapers.
In the article, Ian Simpson is addressing the critics of his run-of-the-mill glass tower blocks that are appearing on numerous sites in the city centre. He is quoted saying "Manchester must shake-off its Victorian heritage and embrace the skyscraper" and "critics are too concerned about maintaining the city's Victorian appearance at the expense of distinctive architecture".
At least the views and opinions of most visitors and residents have been acknowledged! One comment, the 'Victorian appearance' is distinctive architecture!
My main issue with this article is there seems to be a deliberate blur between "distinctive architechture" and "skyscrapers".
There can be hideous skyscrapers and there can be skyscrapers that are distinctive works of architechture. To state the obvious, there can be distinctive architecture without being tall with many stories. To use the Beetham Tower as an example, I can appreciate the enormous challenge that was met in building it. We've all been there, done that with our Lego as kids. Then we dismantled it and put it away because our Mum wasn't prepared to live with it permanently. Please somebody tell him to take it down now he has completed the challenge. It is a huge, square, all-glass and completely featureless tower. Am I alone in thinking to be distinctive, architecture needs some appreciable unique features?
Simpson seems to be arguing that the only way to achieve modern distinctive architecture is in the form of skyscrapers. Why? The only justification behind this is that property developers are more motivated to invest if they can create more units on a given area of land.
Is that a good reason to embark on a fundamental redesign of the city's appearance as Simpson is arguing?
Maybe if Simpson cut his rates the buildings wouldn't need to be skyscrapers to make the developer a profit!
Chris G
Readers: Please click comments below and leave your feedback on any of these articles.
Web site and BLOG about Plans for the Car Park - object by 11th December
A website has been set up to make it easier to access the relevant details of the proposal off the Planning website, how to raise objections and some images you may find of interest.
See: www.petros.ourflat.co.uk or www.princess-street.ourflat.co.uk (Both the same site)
Objections can still be raised up until 11th December - so please lodge your objections and encourage ‘Anyone who knows the site to write’ – friends, relatives, colleagues. We need to show the Council the strength of feeling against the plans:
Direct link to comment and raise objections is:
I know some people have had problems getting the Council’s planning portal to accept Objections. Keep persevering or send details of your objection to the case officer Jay Patel (email: j.patel@manchester.gov.uk ) copy me in and ask for an acknowledgement that the email will be lodged as an objection for this application.
A blog has also been set up for Save Our Village – http://saveourvillage.blogspot.com/ I hope people will air their views.
Thanks to Chris G for all his hard work on the websites and Blog
Regards
Chris Speck
Save Our Village Campaign
email: info@saveourvillagemanchester.co.uk
NB. If you no longer wish to receive emails about the Save Our Village Campaign please email us to be removed from the distribution.
Get your objections in by 11th December-
Objections are flowing into the Council offices. I've been copied in on many of those submitted - good for you. However others don't be complacent - everyone - local residents, residents from further afield, users of canal street or those anti Ian Simpson's dominance over the Manchester skyline should submit their objections by 11th December to show the Council and the developer their scheme is entirely inappropriate for the area. Without a real volume of objections our pleas for moderation or throwing the plans out entirely could be ignored.
The direct link for objections on the Council site is:
http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/publicaccess/dc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=J81UQXBCW1000
This planning website has been unreliable to say the least so please be patient. If you are struggling to submit or do not receive email confirmation your objection has been logged please let me know and complain to Jay Patel in planning. email: j.patel@manchester.gov.uk
Regards
Chris
Save Our Village
email: info@saveourvillagemanchester.co.uk
The direct link for objections on the Council site is:
http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/publicaccess/dc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=J81UQXBCW1000
This planning website has been unreliable to say the least so please be patient. If you are struggling to submit or do not receive email confirmation your objection has been logged please let me know and complain to Jay Patel in planning. email: j.patel@manchester.gov.uk
Regards
Chris
Save Our Village
email: info@saveourvillagemanchester.co.uk
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