This is the vast area of green space which could disappear under plans by the city council to sell a chunk of the Harthill-Calderstones estate to make way for luxury housing.

The council wants to move the Beechley stables for the disabled - the site used by Calder Kids, and the 65-year-old miniature railway - and release the site for a massive development. It will also include the former parks and gardens depot and land once occupied by the demolished Harthill Greenhouses where the city's famous collection of rare orchids used to be kept.

The Liberal Democrat Party leader, Tim Farron, was in Liverpool last weekend. He visited the site with Cllr Richard Kemp, the party leader in the city.  He laims the area involved could accommodate in excess of 400 homes, being built by developers Redrow, swallowing up almost a quarter of the Harthill/Calderstones estate.

Kemp also voiced concerns that the Georgian Harthill House could be sacrificed in the process - although no solid plans on any of this have yet been submitted.

Redrow, chaired by Garston-born multi millionaire Steve Morgan, is already involved in a battle with campaigners over its plans to develop the Meadowlands at Sefton Park.

Tim Farron and his chums up at CalderstonesTim Farron, who is the leader of the Lib Dem party, and his chums up at Calderstones

Visiting the Harthill site, Farron told Liverpool Confidential: "I'm really cross at what is happening here at Calderstones. There is a need for more homes in Liverpool, but mainly affordable homes, not executive homes planned for here.

"There is demand in Liverpool for more than 70,000 homes, on real brownfield sites. There is zero need at all to build here at Calderstones.

"Here in an urban environment in Liverpool, even in a leafy area, green space is really precious for the city, and it most be protected. That is what the council is there for, to protect the interests of the people, not protect the interests of developers.

"Whatever the reason the council seems hell bent on selling this land."

The city council insists that none of the area of the Calderstones/Harthill estate with public access will be sold. The area earmarked for housing does not have public access and the money raised from the sale of the land will be used to relocate the current occupants of the site.

The plan envisages transferring the Beechley Stables to the site of the former Clarke Gardens at Allerton Towers.

Harthill HouseHarthill House

 

 

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