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Walton Hall and Gardens SOLD


Sha

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KeithR, you obviously don't believe Cllr Marks word that nothing will be done prior to a full public consultation, and that at the exec meeting of June 12th they will merely be choosing the prefered developer.

 

Well Keith you are obviously not on your own in holding that opinion! probably most people do!

After the way Cllr Marks & Co have bulldozed other projects through despite vast public opposition I really doubt that many people would trust his word on anything!!!

 

There is still some way to go before this is finished and forces are gathering every day to fight against the proposed sell-off.

Do not underestimate People Power! :wink:

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I think the petition is doing exceptionally well in illustrating the amount of public support........give it a few more weeks!!

.................................

:shock::shock:

 

What when everything is signed and finished :roll::roll:

 

I certainly think the petition and campaign should continue despite the council members recent ?reassurances? at Friday's meeting. Call it the 'just incase scenario' and the more continuous opposition 'just incase' the better :wink:

 

Although like many I also suspect the 'decision' has already been made inhouse it has NOT yet been finalised hence my reasoning above.

 

It still has to go to the Executive Board for Approval and after that it has to go through the planning stage to gain Approval by the Development Control Committee.

 

Prior to / in between / or after (presumably prior) to these two stages then from what the Council have now said regarding the problem with the restrictive covenant then they will also have to also apply to the Land Tribunal Service to get the restriction relating to the hotel use lifted.

 

Would seem that whoever the actual current day beneficiary is (maybe the person who lifted the restriction on alcohol sales within the Hall some years back ) possibly wont lift the ?Hotel? restriction. Of course it also is possible that the council actually went through the tribunal stage to have that restriction lifted.. after all weddings and other functions with no booze = Mmmm !?!?

 

... I also wonder whether there may also still be a restriction in alcohol sales on the rest of the estate which may affect the new pub as from memory the alcohol restriction was only lifted on the footprint of the Hall itself.

 

 

I suspect the remaining clause relating to Hotel use would be lifted by the tribunal though given the circumstances (see Section 84 of the Law of Property Act 1925 ) :wink:

 

Small subsection and reasoning :

 

s84 was modified by the Law of Property Act 1969, which added a further ground for discharge or modification. The restriction may be discharged or modified if:

 

?? it impedes some reasonable user of land for public or private purposes, if it does not secure to the dominant owner any practical benefits of substantial value or advantage to them, or is contrary to the public interest.

 

In such cases, the Tribunal must also take into account the local development plan and any declared or ascertainable pattern for the grant or refusal of planning permission. .......................

?

 

Public interest ??? dominant owner ?? Public or Private ? all divided of course at this moment in time but of course the public will not actually be consulted by the Land Tribunal Service in any application to remove the restriction and it would seem that noone actually opposes the Hotel Development in it's own right anyway ... other than the possible loss of public access over time. :wink:

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Diz says"................it would seem that noone actually opposes the Hotel Development in it's own right anyway ... other than the possible loss of public access over time."

 

Things are not what they might seem then Diz because there is actually great opposition to the hotel scheme!

Why would people not want to oppose the Hall and buildings being taken by a private developer!

A private 'boutique' hotel on the site would completely destroy the peacefulness and tranquility of the area, the historic feel etc which makes it so much different from just another playground come grassed area and which is precisely why Walton Gardens are so popular.

Added to which, it is the Hall and outbuildings which have the only real commercial potential. If the estate is to be maintained long term, without being periodically chipped away, there needs to be some means of funding available.

There are absolutely no reasons why the whole estate cannot be self sufficient or even generate profits.....other than bad management. :evil:

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Diz says"................it would seem that no one actually opposes the Hotel Development in it's own right anyway ... other than the possible loss of public access over time."

 

Things are not what they might seem then Diz because there is actually great opposition to the hotel scheme!

 

There may be opposition to the Hotel Sha but the huge petition and the 'Save Walton Gardens' facebook/website is only actually opposing the loss of free public access :P

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Flaw in the draft plan already... ok so I am just being picky :lol:

 

but Only 2 car parks shown !?!? :?

 

One is the existing golf course car park the other is the existing pay and display public car park.

 

The current overspill car park (the field) is already heavily used on sunny weekends?.. and yet the draft plan shows the overspill field as also now becoming an event?s area ?

 

So??? when they have events on the field won't more people visit AND WHERE WILL THEY PARK as there will be no overpill parking??? Same goes for the hoped huge increase in visitors.. where will they park ?

 

Also there appears to be no car parks shown on the plan for the Boutique Hotel or Large Leisure Buildings (spa, pub, conference facilities and the other smaller hotels etc etc)

 

Also part of the red woodland trail runs through one of the ?no access? zones :lol:

 

Suggest they produce a clearer and more concise ?draft? plan prior to public consultation round one.

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Maybe they're going to fly in by helicopter! :shock:

Or drive over the little hump back bridge, past the gypsy site and in through the back?

But that would be somewhat difficult for delivery vans etc! :shock:

Even more difficult for JCB's, cranes and all the other machinery needed during the five year construction phase! :shock::shock:

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Hi To All

 

First post on this excellent thread as I have only recently discovered the despicable plan hatched by WBC!

 

I think we must have a public meeting in the park as soon as possible, does anyone know the best way to organise this?

 

If we are not happy with the idea of losing a substantial part of our park then we must demonstrate and involve press and TV as much as possible, it is the only avenue open to us at this late stage.

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Apparently Andy Farrell with be at the Parish Council meeting on Thursday.

 

Apparently he thinks that will amount to public consultation.

 

If you would like to be consulted, please feel free to make your voice heard. Parish Rooms, Old Chester Road, Thursday 3rd June (7pm?? Can anyone confirm)

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That's another tick towards the "public consultation stage" sorted then :roll:

 

How many people do you know who ever attend local parish council meetings and unless they read your comment how many people will know about it or be able to go at such short notice.

 

Clever Mr Council eh !?! :lol::roll::evil:

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Only room for 20 or so members of the public - unless PC give up some of 11 Councillors' normal monthly meeting spaces - although there are one or two who don't appear very often !! Should have been a well advertised Public Meeting as was suggested to Walton PC when Walton Hall/ Gardens uncertain future became public. Anyway, to those interested, GET THERE EARLY !!

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Only just found out about this, this is just ridiculous! Are we discussing a new roof for the Scout hut here???

 

They are having a laugh at our expense, so take note this is the total lack of respect we get from our elected council, they are more interested in a developers wallet than the thoughts of the community they are supposed to serve!

 

Once again I say we need to demonstrate!!!

 

If anybody went to the meeting last night I would be interested to hear what was said/happened Etc...

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Following Malcolm's update hear http://www.savewaltongardens.co.uk/?p=287 . A mate has asked me to post his comments here as well as it is currently waiting for moderation.

 

Paul says: Your comment is awaiting moderation.

04/06/2010 at 1:26 pm

 

Thanks for the update Malcolm.

 

People lets remind ourselves of a few things as time is rapidly running out:

 

1. On Monday 14 June (yes this is now just over a week away) at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Council, your elected councillors will agree to provide a 125 year lease for all the building and approx 50% of all land to luxury hotels group Contessa.

 

This is not withstanding the fact that the elected leader of our council Councillor Ian Marks said on the 5 June 2010;

 

?We want to make Walton Hall and Gardens better ? with more public access, not less. The council hasn?t got the money to do the work itself so we need partners.

 

But no deal will be struck if it means any loss of public access to the hall and grounds.

 

It may be that some areas will be to be closed while weddings are in progress, but that has always been the case. It will not be a significant area. We know how important it is that public access is maintained.? http://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/articles/7943/1/Storm-over-plan-for-jewel-in-the-crown/Page1.html

 

This is a terrible deception perpetrated by the leader of our Council ? hang your head n shame Sir!

 

It has now come to light that Warrington Borough Council chose this developer in secret months ago, a scheme masterminded by Andy Farrell ? Executive Director of Environment and Regeneration.

 

This is the same Andy Farrell who was responsible for upsetting considerable numbers of our fellow ratepayers over in Chester when he was the chief planning officer over there. http://thechestersheaf.blogspot.com/2007/11/so-farewell-then-andy-farrell.html

 

2. Once this decision is made there is no going back, not even an act of Parliament can change this, we will of lost the free access we currently enjoy to our park. Do not believe the misinformation being distributed on this subject, on the 14 June WBC plan to rubber stamp the deal that is why it has been kept secret.

 

We will then endure 5 years of hell ? the estimated development time, as we watch our beautiful park become a massive building site. A minimum of five years until we can (maybe?) enjoy a peaceful day at the park, I don?t even want to imagine it.

 

3. If we have a demonstration on the 14 June at 6.00pm it will be too late, while we are outside protesting the Executive Committee will rubber stamp the deal.

 

It is absolutely vital to have this peaceful demonstration before this meeting and it must be on either the Saturday or Sunday 12/13 June prior to Mondays meeting. Please comment on this as I think this is absolutely vital!

 

4. Today we have learnt that some of the campaign group will attend the Executive Committee meeting?

 

Please stop attending meetings, they are not the least bit interested in what you have to say and this is a tactical error.

 

Labour Councillors? only weapon at this meeting will be not only the total secrecy and deception but could also be the total lack of public consultation, the campaign group although well meaning are not helping with this issue.

 

We must call for public access to the Executive Committee of the Council meeting on 14 June and this must form part of the demonstration.

 

To close I just hope we are not to late to put a stop to this deceitful pan, so please comment and let?s get this demonstration organised pronto .

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The Save Walton Gardens bods have come up with an alternative to the councils 'masterplan'. It's on their website but could easily be missed so I am posting it on here.

 

Very good alternative actually and makes a LOT of sense.

 

If you click on the left hand links a pop up appears on the map giving a more detailed decription of their suggestions.

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=115428497850073906589.000487ba8880efaeb508b&ll=53.36042,-2.606246&spn=0.010937,0.016152&t=h&source=embed

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But it isn't really difficult to come up with a more credible plan than the council's is it?

 

The potential for that estate to be self- sufficient is so vast....without any imput from developers like Contessa, it's so easy to see......for those who want to see that is!!!!

 

 

Thanks for your helpful, encouraging comments Maser. I'm sure there are others who also are interested in what you have to say.

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Thanks Sha :D

 

Should anyone be reading this thread and feel like the currently 6277 people who have discovered this dreadful plan then please go to the main campaign site; http://www.savewaltongardens.co.uk/ and follow the three steps outlined on the page.

 

Sign the petition, email all the Councillors and join us if you can on Monday 14 June when we will be demonstrating.

 

Please help us to save your park.

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I understand the proposed alternative map which was shown briefly on the Save Walton Gardens website was withdrawn as it was not the view of the Campaign that there should be a hotel. But it does seem to have quite a lot of merit for an amateur planner throwing out a few ideas one evening.

We should concentrate on the WBC maps. One published last week and shown at the Walton Parish Council clearly showed the Rose Garden, the shrubby wooded area going back from the Hall and the top half of the Flats (the slopey lawns) as excluded, and amazingly shows the band-stand lawn immediately to the east of the Hall as open to the public. The words from Warrington BC say the area immediately to the east of the Hall will be private. I was assured by Andy Farrall that the un-named Contessa hotel company were perfectly happy to have people playing games right outside the windows of the proposed Five Star Hotel. However, the map produced for the Executive for when they make their decision shows no excluded areas! You just don't know what to believe.

 

Try the Coffee Shop. Andy Farrall told the Executive it operated with a surplus of ?10,000 when he wanted to keep it in 2008, and has now stated a six-month loss of ?4178.54 when he wanted to close it. You just don't know what to believe.

 

There are many more similar observations on the Save Walton Gardens web-site Blog.

 

In answer to Paul who thinks Monday is too late for a Protest, it is the only time when the Executive can be confronted. The Police have been informed, Granada Reports will be there. Just make sure everyone you know is there too. Town Hall 6pm

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