DESPITE more than 50 objections, Liverpool City Council’s planning committee today (Tuesday) approved plans for a “wet zone” for street-drinkers in the upmarket Georgian Quarter of the city.
But Dr Emlyn Williams, chairman of the Rodney Street Association, told Liverpool Confidential he is hopeful the scheme in Roscoe Street will not go-ahead.
He said: “Despite 52 objections the Planning Committee today rubber stamped the council’s own proposals for establishing a facility for holding street drinkers within the locality.
“However the council has a problem which it has yet to recognise. It does not have the consent of the property leaseholder and is unlikely to get it.”
The leaseholder is NHS Properties, which holds a 99-year lease on the building, with 16 years more to run.
The original lease was granted by the freeholder – Liverpool City Council – in 1931 to allow 80 Rodney Street to serve as headquarters of the Liverpool Royal Infirmary. It was used for health purposes until the five or six years ago when it was vacated.
Dr Williams has been in communication with NHS Properties and says it realises the potential for “sensitive refurbishment” of 80 Rodney Street.
80 Rodney Street is owned by NHS Properties
Dr Williams said it was clear from his communication that the leaseholders realise the difficulty in selling the building if the rear outhouses, on Roscoe Street, were used as a gathering post for street drinkers. In just a short period of time potential buyers have come forward wanting to purchase 80 Rodney Street.
In a letter to David Elstrob, of NHS Properties, Dr Williams says: “It is heartening now to learn that you were as surprised as we were to the ‘wet centre’ proposal and that permission for maintaining such a facility over the next five years has not been granted (by the leaseholder)”.
Dr Williams tells NHS Properties that even in its current state the premises could earn around £1m if it secured a new 99-year lease. Such a deal would also free the NHS from the need to pay for dilapidation work on the property.
The city council is eager to create the wet zone saying concentrating street drinkers in one place would make sure they received the support they needed.
The plan has outraged local residents and businesses based in the Rodney Street area. They fear they will live in fear and face from drinkers congregating at the proposed centre in Roscoe Street.
Planning Committee Chairman Cllr John McIntosh said after he had “done some soul searching” he was recommending approval.
