The Victorian Society deplores the recent decision of Liverpool City Council to grant planning permission for a zip wire between St John’s Beacon and the Central Library building.
Image: Drawing from the planning application.
Tom Taylor, Conservation Adviser for the The Victorian Society, states, ‘The buildings along William Brown Street, together with St George’s Hall, form one of the finest groups of neoclassical civic buildings in the country. The consistently high quality of the architecture has few equals in Europe, let alone in England, and St George’s Hall is deservedly the centrepiece of this part of Liverpool’s World Heritage Site. The proposed zip wire will trivialise the setting of this magnificent group of buildings and seriously harm the reflective and dignified character of St John’s Gardens. Liverpool’s 19th century architectural heritage is of international renown and one of the greatest contributors to the City’s success. Liverpool City Council has demonstrated over a number of years that it does not take this heritage sufficiently seriously and has given listed building consent to various insensitive proposals that cause unnecessary harm to the historic environment. This proposal will bring very little public benefit and will result in disproportionate harm.’
We call on the City Council to take this opportunity to take seriously its duty to protect Liverpool’s historic environment and reverse its harmful decision.
20/07/2020
