Centros plan must go to public inquiry, says English Heritage
ENGLISH Heritage has called for plans for a major new shopping development in Lancaster to go before a public inquiry.
The 150m Centros scheme for the canal corridor will "irreversibly damage" the city if it goes ahead, due to the demolition of 30 buildings, 18 of them within conservation areas, they say.
And they have now written to the Government Office for the North West to recommend that the outline planning application for the scheme be 'called in' for a decision by the Secretary of State following a public inquiry.
Henry Owen-John, English Heritage's North West planning and development director, said: "Implementing this scheme would cause lasting harm to Lancaster and damage much of what makes the city such a distinctive and special place.
"There is no doubt that this part of Lancaster needs regenerating. We have negotiated at length with the developer but it was not possible to secure a scheme which responded to, and was inspired by, the distinctive historic character of this part of the city."
A Centros spokesman said: "Having had numerous meetings with English Heritage over the last year and having made significant changes to the scheme in response to their concerns, we are both surprised and disappointed that they have now taken this position. We have gone to great lengths to retain, restore and enhance all the listed buildings on the site and we believe that the loss of the few unlisted buildings around Stonewell is justified by the need to provide a strong pedestrian link with the city centre."
Lancaster City Council's planning committee approved the outline planning application in October.
This decision is currently under routine referral to the Secretary of State.
* Four people who call themselves Lancaster United were due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court yesterday, Thursday, where they faced a charge of aggravated trespass after a protest at Centros' head office in London last week.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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