By the Save Waterloo Dock Team
10 January, 2020
Historic England objects to revised Planning Application 18F/3247B on “heritage grounds”.
Historic England has advised the Liverpool City Council Planning Department in a detailed five-page letter of their objection to the application by Romal Capital Ltd to partially infill West Waterloo Dock in order to construct four residential buildings.
Summarising their conclusions, Historic England says: “Despite amendments to the scheme being made, our fundamental issue with the scheme has not been addressed. We have serious concerns and object to this application.”
“West Waterloo Dock, located in the Buffer Zone of the World Heritage Site, forms part of Liverpool’s superlative dock system for which it is world famous and includes docks designed by Jesse Hartley, one of the most significant names in 19th century dock design and construction.”
Historic England argues that from a policy standpoint” “The infilling of West Waterloo Dock Should be considered from first principles.” Citing both the UK National Policy Planning Framework (2019) and the Liverpool World Heritage Site Supplementary Planning Document (2009) Historic England states they “do not agree with the conclusions reached [in the Heritage/ ICOMOS Assessment] on West Waterloo Dock” and do “not consider the justification for the infill to be ‘exceptional’.”
They also draw attention to Liverpool City Council’s statutory duty under section 66(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act (1990): “to have special regard to the desirability of preserving listed buildings or their setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which they possess”.
Historic England is “the public body that helps people care for and enjoy and celebrate England’s spectacular historic environment”. They protect, champion and save the places that define who we are and where we have come from as a nation. Acting as an expert adviser to the government their work includes providing the designation (listing) system for historic places and providing advice on applications for planning permission or listed building consent.
Save Waterloo Dock is a neighbourhood association of concerned local residents and other supporters working together to put a stop to the planned development (18F/3247), which proposes to infill most of historic West Waterloo Dock in order to build four tall (10 storey) blocks of 538 residential units and ground floor commercial space.
