Stockport Council News

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/run-down-precinct-remains-an-eyesore-907209

I was trying to sort out the problem of the dilapidated Offerton Precinct. What were the LibDem councillors on Stepping Hill Area Committee doing to sort the situation out – my guess is diddly squat.

Meikle, Goddard, Corris x 2, Alexander x 2, Weldon, Smith

So we see from the above answer that over the decade the Council has approached the owners on an ongoing basis re the poor condition of the Precinct.

1) On 22/3/11 notice was served on the owners under S59 of the EPA

2) A written interview under caution was sent to the owners on 14/11/1 (how does on “send” an interview>?).

3) Planning Enforcement Team also wrote (no date) with a list of improvements needed. What are they?  

In the meantime, the Council has been pursuing a longterm resolution via redevelopment – involving negotiations with the owners and other parties.  I suspect from my knowledge of the owners’ methods and morality (in court) including a complete disregard for the law, that they are deliberately delaying and their scheme to get out unscathed is being worked on as we write. The  legal case I know of lasted 10 years and the comments of the judge speak volumes about the sort of people we are dealing with.

Missing information includes the list of improvements required by S215 of the Town and Country Planning Act (and are they under way?)

Which councillors were involved and how often were they involved?

What the SMBC’s exposure in the event of having to accept “no deal” in December 2012?

This process must have cost the Council  a considerable amount of money and with no progress visible even one month into the last quarter of 2012 and the owners, I suspect, do not intend to have the matter resolved sooner. Otherwise, with their apparent financial muscle, why would they want nothing done – even repairs – clearly failing these repairs the postion is made less likely to be resolved. I am sure the owners are prepared for an exhausting, drawn out affair costing them the minimum.

Beware!

The above analysis was by someone much clever than I am.

This was the state the owners of Offerton Precinct allowed it to get in and then the LibDems decided to compulsory purchase land from Lisburne Lane Garage to give to these precinct owners to redevelop the site. Didn’t any alarm bells ring in the ears of said LibDem councillors? Apparently not.