Liverpool City Council and housing association drop Welsh Streets legal challenge

Liverpool City Council and housing association Plus Dane have ended their legal challenge over the Community Secretary’s decision to reject plans for the regeneration of the ‘Welsh Streets’ area.

The plans, which would have led to the demolition of 440 Victorian terraced houses, had been approved by the council and after a subsequent public inquiry.

However, former Communities Secretary Eric Pickles blocked the plans in January this year on a number of grounds. These included the future tourism potential of the area (one of the Beatles was born there), the impact on nearby listed buildings and conservation area, and design issues.

A Liverpool City Council spokesman said: “We still regard the Secretary of State’s decision as unreasonable and illogical. However, our priority, rather than engage in protracted legal arguments, is to regenerate the Welsh Streets area and our objective all along has been to provide a sustainable and deliverable housing scheme. We will continue to consult with the residents on how best to achieve that.”

The decision by the council and Plus Dane to drop their challenge was welcomed by heritage body SAVE, which has been campaigning against the Pathfinder initiative (Housing Market Renewal) for 12 years.

SAVE was the only Rule 6 Part at the public inquiry in June 2014, arguing that the area should be restored and reoccupied.

Its legal team was  legal team were solicitor Susan Ring and trainee Harry Campbell of Richard Buxton Environmental & Public Law, and barristers Richard Harwood QC and James Potts of 39 Essex Chambers.