A planning application was submitted in February that 26 Hoghton Street Southport, formally Rueters, be demolished and replaced by a car park offering 23 spaces.

Yesterday, April 8th, Sefton Council refused this application.

Reason(s) for Refusal

1) The proposed car park would not respect the special architectural or historic interest of the adjacent Listed Buildings. The demolition of the building for a car park negatively affects the buildings settings and fails to respect and conserve the positive existing relationship between the Listed Buildings and its surroundings. The proposal would therefore be contrary to the Local Plan policies NH9 Heritage Assets and NH11 Works affecting Listed Buildings and the National Planning Policy Framework and National Plannning Policy Guidance.

2) The proposal would not be consistent with, or make a positive contribution to, the quality of the environment or protect the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers. The proposal would therefore be contrary to the Local Plan Policy ED7 Southport Central Area, EQ2 Design and the National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 135(f).

3) Insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate that the proposal would not cause significant harm to legally protected species (bats and breeding birds) and priority habitat. Consequently, the proposals are contrary to policy NH2 'Nature' of the Sefton Local Plan and the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework.

4) No disabled spaces have been identified on the submitted plan. The proposal does not therefore comply with the Local Plan policy EQ3 or the National Planning Policy Framework.

Dozens of objections were raised by members of the public.

Full planning details at: https://pa.sefton.gov.uk/online-appl...=S82YK2NWJD500

Good. Southport has enough parking spaces already. Well done Sefton.

Originally Posted by lawed143

Good. Southport has enough parking spaces already. Well done Sefton.

Nothing to do with that.

The preservation of the town's superb Victorian buildings heritage, rather than destroying them for no good reason and losing its proud origins, is more important.

Too many have been destroyed and it's about time Sefton MBC sought to put an end to it.

Fantastic news. Tearing down a beautiful building like this to make way for a car park beggars belief.
Thank you Sefton.

Get the Fire Brigade on standby!

I suppose they saw an opportunity when the cycle lanes went in.

I will have a read of their application sometime.

Originally Posted by Alikado

Get the Fire Brigade on standby!

I hope not! Far too much of that already.

Originally Posted by Stuartli

Nothing to do with that.

The preservation of the town's superb Victorian buildings heritage, rather than destroying them for no good reason and losing its proud origins, is more important.

Too many have been destroyed and it's about time Sefton MBC sought to put an end to it.

I agree with that sentiment.

Originally Posted by Stuartli

Nothing to do with that.

The preservation of the town's superb Victorian buildings heritage, rather than destroying them for no good reason and losing its proud origins, is more important.

Too many have been destroyed and it's about time Sefton MBC sought to put an end to it.

I didn’t say the decision was based on that. I purely said we have enough parking already.

All those former residential buildings along Hoghton St should be returned to residential, there needs to be a Government backed scheme to encourage businesses operating in former residential properties in or close to our town centres to move into the empty properties that are blighting the town centres. Something needs to be done to reduce the number of empty properties, retail will never make a comeback and the centres need to contract, converting the properties back to retail will satisfy a market for housing on the edge of towns and help to revitalise both areas.

Strange things happen. I remember The Kingsway.
Not to mention the the blind school.
Will stay empty for 10 years
The government building on Albert Rd by the lights has been
empty 8 years
We do need parking in town.