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SALFORD COUNCIL COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED ALMOST £1MILLION FOR BUILE HILL MANSION AND PARK RESTORATION
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Star date: 29th May 2018
SALFORD COUNCIL COULD HAVE KICKSTARTED MANSION RENOVATION Recently the local community has been up in arms about plans to restore Buile Hill Mansion for community use by possibly building houses in the Grade 2 listed Buile Hill Park. However, instead of getting into bed with developers, Salford Council could have kickstarted the restoration of the Mansion and park to the tune of almost £1million, had it collected all the Section 106 fees from surrounding developments. Full details here...
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Last week, at a stormy meeting of the Claremont and Weaste Community Committee, a Salford Council officer stated that the cost of the restoration of Buile Hill Mansion would be £1.6million, and that the only way to secure the Grade 2 listed building for community use would be for development to take place in the depot areas. Indeed, on the table is a Memorandum of Understanding between developer Capital and Centric, and Salford Red Devils Foundation to work together to find a solution (for full background see previous Salford Star article – click here). At the meeting, residents asked why Section 106 monies – fees developers pay to the Council for things like public realm, open space and heritage - couldn't cover the costs. Now research by the Salford Star estimates that almost £1million of these fees could have been used to kickstart the restoration of the Mansion and park – had the Council actually collected all the money. Below is a list of six developments in the area and the fees paid or avoided... Tootal Drive School site – 26 properties built and according to the Salford Council planning report there should have been payments totalling £95,212 due (Open Space: £56,212, Public Realm, infrastructure and heritage: £39,000). However, nothing was paid, due to the developer's 'viability assessment, with a 'clawback' clause and 'review' at a future date should the profits exceed estimates. The Willows – 103 houses and flats built by City West and Watson Homes. Due to Salford Council planning policies, no Section 106 monies were due on the apartments as it is a 'low to mid value area' but fees for open space and public realm – worth an estimated £269,000 – were valid for the 82 houses, but avoided due to what the planning report calls 'viability restraints'... "After analysis of the proposals for the scheme by consultant surveyors, it was concluded that a planning contribution is unsustainable" stated the Council's planning officer "In light of the information presented the viability position of the applicant is accepted." Seedley School site – sixty houses built by Countryside Properties should have brought £219,000 in developer contributions (Open Space: £129,168; Public Realm, infrastructure and heritage £90,000) but nothing was requested at the time, with a clawback agreement inserted should profits be high... "The applicant has undertaken an appraisal of the viability of the development and this shows that if a commuted sum is sought from the scheme, it would render the scheme entirely unviable" stated the planning report at the time. Former All Souls RC Church, Liverpool Street – here planning permission was granted for Investar/Places for People to build 48 flats and ten houses. Due to Salford Council planning policies, nothing was due to be paid for the flats ('low to mid value area') but open space payments could have been collected for the ten houses, which worked out at £41,700. However, as the developers were building 'affordable' housing, the planning report states that "no additional contributions to open space and highway improvements are sought"... On these developments alone, Salford Council 'lost' £624,912. Meanwhile, the Council did collect £209,698 from the Bellway Homes planning application for 64 houses on the site of the old Hope High School site to go "towards the regeneration and improved access to the historic core of Buile Hill Park including the area of Buile Hill Mansion, the former depot buildings and conservatory". A £67,500 public realm fee was also collected from the old De La Salle College site where 45 houses were built. If the fees that were avoided - £624,912 - are added to the fees collected - £277,198 – it totals £902,110...A substantial figure that could have kickstarted the restoration of the Mansion and park, without the need for developers to build more properties within the depot area.
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Rayofsunshine wrote
at 15:41:06 on 02 June 2018 |
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| Mary, one idea that might be worth exploring,in relation tò funding the protection of Salford's Heritage, is the ability of local councils to levý añ additional Council Tax Precept.
From what I recall, an additional 2% can be raised, subject to the council winning local approval via staging and winning a local refrendum.
However, most attempts to raise additional council tax have been voted down by local chargepayers - it seems that whilst people don't like cuts, they object to paying additional Council
Tax to retain services!
What do you think, Mary? |
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Bob the regular wrote
at 20:00:22 on 01 June 2018 |
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| At the time of my last posting , I had read Simon Lockes piece ,but I did not know who Emmaus were.(I don't know everything ,unlike some who post here).If you look at the Emmaus website, you will find its patrons are none other than the Iron Chipmunk, Hazel Blears, , Rossi's no1 idol Dennett, Cllr's warmisham and renolds. Well can Simon put something together? If he can,it would seem he has friends in the right place. You know, this building was built as a house,it can always be used as a house. I magnified the picture of the mansion before. To be sure the waste grid will be blocked on that portico, look at that plant growing,them walls look damp as well.like I said ,gutters.If they cannot get off their fat arses to fix essentials like that, which at very most is 1 days work for 2 lads with a cherry picker, then what can they do,have consultations with each other? For the price of 4 consultants talking shite to each other for 2 hours, you could get them gutters cleaned out with a cherry picker. |
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Retired Socailst wrote
at 19:59:47 on 01 June 2018 |
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| Section 106 Agreements (S106) and Unilateral Undertakings are types of planning obligation authorised by Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. They are legal agreements between the Local Planning Authority and applicant / developer that aim to balance the extra pressure created by new development with improvements to ensure that the new development makes a positive contribution to the local area and community. An obligation can restrict the development or use of land, require specific operations or activities to be carried out on land, require land to be used in a certain way or require the payment of financial contributions.
Types of obligation commonly include affordable housing; provision, enhancement and maintenance of open spaces and recreational facilities; play equipment; art provision; cycleways; highways; travel plans and education.Just a quick breakdown for Ray, perhaps you should spend more time off the beer then perhaps your fixation with winding up Mrs Ferrer would subside, i do believe people like you can get free help at meadowbrook
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Mary ferrer wrote
at 19:44:03 on 31 May 2018 |
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| I am in the process of setting up a public meeting to do some brainstorming as to how we can save the Mansion without selling our souls.Philip and your mate Ray are more than welcome to attend. If you do please come and have a chat. |
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Rayofsunshine wrote
at 19:23:42 on 31 May 2018 |
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| So Mary Moanalot, you're "an expert" on Planning and Section 106 Levies, are you?
Then you should know that when Salford Council attempts to claim Section 106 Monies it risks £100000's in potential legal fees,needed to defend itself against legal challenge from the developer!
Will you accept, Mary Monalot, that this indeed is the case? |
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Bob the regular wrote
at 19:23:05 on 31 May 2018 |
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| This building is important and needs to be maintained. It is obvious to all, that the present owners are not competent enough to do this. They have plenty of experts, deliverers, providers etc ,and all the rest of the bullshiters, who all do sweet FA and blame the Tories for not giving them any cash. It needs people like me ,people with construction skills. Years ago, in my prime , I could have sorted that place out, that is if i had enough cash for materials which is only a fraction of the renovation cost. The cost of materials on a job like this, is often about the same as what the surveyors get. go on tell me that you need surveyors to make sure the jobs done right. If thats the case, look no further than above, the story about the guy with the roof. what that guy needed was proper roofers, not bullshit from surveyors.The way this building is going , water will soon get in and it will rot. It looks a bit damp from the outside. My guess gutters need doing. Piece of piss to do, but surveyors cannot do this type of work. What you need is someone with the skills ,and a few bob, to come in and bring that place up to scratch. you could give them a long lease, and let them live in it. when they sold it, they would have to give first refusal to the council, or whoever.I can think of a few local candidates who fit the bill, and no doubt can some of the Stars local correspondents. There again, although such an idea would work, and save the building, you would get all the jealousy. "how did they get a house like that?"
Another approach could be lets all get together and pull our sleeves up and work for nothing and do it up.This is an idea borrowed from comrade castro. Each year in cuba all the people from castro down had to do two weeks work in the fields for nothing. Here,s an offer for you. If you can persuade comrade Dennett, and comrade Merry to join in this ,and do some honest graft in their spare time, then for each honest days work that each of them do in their spare time, then I will do two days work. Merry is just a bit younger than me, and Dennet is half my age. Merry loves to dress up in his Bob The Builder outfit,so does Dennett. Do not worry about their lack of skills, I will work along side them and show them what to do. Talk about work, would Phil like to help out as well, it would give him the chance to learn a few skills as well, whilst working for the benefit of the community alongside his idols Dennett and Merry. I am looking forward to doing a bit,alongside our rulers and Phil. Tell you what ,after the first day, I'll treat em all to a pint of Joey's in the Lion, we could all get together in the back snug and have a good community get together and put the world to rights. I'm game are they? |
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Mary ferrer wrote
at 10:09:16 on 31 May 2018 |
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| Hi Philip, I know a tiny bit. What would you like to know??? I did sit on the planning panel for 4 years. I know it has changed.But I like to keep up to date. So please feel free to ask anything you don't understand |
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It's spanner time wrote
at 10:09:01 on 31 May 2018 |
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| Will the Salford Star please do away with it;s resident spanners "Tongue up Labour's bottom" Rossi and "when I am mayor" Felse? |
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Philip Giuseppe Rossi, The Broadwalk ... wrote
at 10:08:24 on 31 May 2018 |
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| Simon Locke, Your suggestion that the council give Salford Emmaus the Buile Hill Park Mansion House is a non starter. Your band of "brilliant companions" wouldn't have the ability to keep the park grounds maintained to an acceptable standard. The very thought of it is laughable. On top of this, the mansion needs millions of pounds spending on its renovation. Now would you expect the council to provide that as well, or would the larger Emmaus organisation provide it. Or failing that, would your "brilliant companions" do the renovation work off their own bat, kind of working like the dwarves in Snow White. All happiness and light as they get the job done. No, like I said, the idea is a non starter; although I can see why you like the thought of it ... going from a small office next to Fitzwarren Court, with a view of Lidl; to a big office in a mansion house with a view of beautiful landscaped gardens would certainly be a step up. |
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Philip Giuseppe Rossi, The Broadwalk ... wrote
at 19:32:36 on 30 May 2018 |
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| Do you know anything about Section 106, Mary? Or are you just winging it as per usual, and talking a load of hot air. |
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Ged Brough wrote
at 19:32:12 on 30 May 2018 |
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| its not in the councils interest to put money into restoration, they want it to become into disrepair,this gives them the opportunity to make a case for the developers to build instead of taking care of our heritage. |
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Simon Locke wrote
at 19:31:36 on 30 May 2018 |
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| I love mad ideas and here's a good un....Give us the mansion as we would love it as a new base for Emmaus Salford to provide a home, work and support for homeless people. Our brilliant resident companions could undertake the upkeep of the park, deliver an urban petting zoo for Salford citizens, run recycling workshops, deliver community festivals, offer volunteering opportunities, enable Lucie's Pantry, our social supermarket, support upto 1000 people in Salford.
Working with the great people of salford together to make sunny salford even brighter!
Simon Locke
Community Director
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Mary ferrer wrote
at 06:52:04 on 30 May 2018 |
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| Please tell,what have they spent the money on within the park. You appear to know it all Ray.Pity they don't get more 106 monies and spend it within the community the development is taking place |
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Rayofsunshine wrote
at 18:02:22 on 29 May 2018 |
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| What's wrong with investing in local infrastructure? |
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Mary ferrer wrote
at 16:23:30 on 29 May 2018 |
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| So it looks like new road/footpath into the area where the Mansion is.Just short of £210.000.Getting the road ready for the housing estate. |
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