THE makers of television soap Hollyoaks fear “spies” will eavesdrop on top secret plot-lines if the go-ahead is given to a housing scheme overlooking their Liverpool film set.
Lime Pictures have objected to proposals by historic All Saints Parish Church in leafy Childwall to build three luxury detached homes on the lawn of the vicarage.
The vicar and parish council want to sell the land, within a conservation area, to fund an extension to the parish hall.
That extension itself fuelled a campaign by local people, opposed to the plan.
Planning officers are recommending refusal of the scheme which will be debated by the council’s planning committee next Tuesday.
The scheme has spilt the area, with some objecting to the housing and others backing the church.
The land, on an elevated site, overlooks Lime Pictures’ television and film studio where scenes are shot for Hollyoaks and other films.
They say one of the three houses proposed would directly overlook the studios.
”Filming could be overheard when our business relies on confidentiality,” the company tells planners.
The historic All Saints Parish Church overlooks the Hollyoaks set
The company also fears the impact of traffic could pose a danger for children who gather around the studio entrance hoping to catch a glimpse of Hollyoaks cast members. They also fear the noise of building work would disrupt filming schedules.
The Campus Manor Studios, once a high school, were originally transformed into a film set by Phil Redmond’s Mersey Television, makers of the former Channel 4 soap Brookside.
The church says 70 per cent of the income generated by selling the land would go towards the parish hall extension.
English Heritage has also commented, saying the development will change the character of the Childwall Abbey conservation area
All Saints' dates back to the 14th century is the only medieval church remaining in Liverpool.
