Liverpool Housing Minister Grant Shapps Saturday called for a temporary reprieve to the demolition of Ringo Starr's Madryn Street birthplace in Liverpool.
Shapps has written to the City Council asking them to halt the planned demolition to give local community and other interested organisations an opportunity to put forward alternative viable options to preserve the home, which has been slated for demolition. The delay will "ensure the people of Liverpool have a chance to have their say in what happens to what many consider to be a culturally important building," an email from a representative of the City Council said.
A special meeting of Liverpool City Council’s Planning Committee is expected to take place in January where the demolition of Ringo Starr’s former home and other houses will be considered. If the demolition is approved, the council would then give a two weeks notice that the home is to be torn down.
The government has received a request from SAVE Britain’s Heritage to direct Liverpool City Council to dispose of an area. The Public Request to Order Disposal (PROD) process allows citizens to write to the Secretary of State, Communities and Local Government, requesting action be taken regarding under/ unused land (including buildings) and he may direct that the land be disposed of. SAVE hope that this will help save these houses from demolition. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is considering this request.
The reactions from both local residents and fans around the world demonstrated the strength of feeling locally and prompted Shapps to call for the delay to demolition to see if an alternative community-led solution is possible. He also wanted to ensure that there is sufficient time for a full and proper consideration of SAVE Britain’s Heritage request.
In a statement, Shapps said, "Any regeneration project will generate strong feelings. But when what many people consider to be a culturally important building - such as the birthplace of the drummer of the world's most famous band - is at risk then feelings are going to be even stronger. That's why before a single bulldozer rumbles along Madryn Street I want to ensure that every option has been considered. In particular I want local community groups to have the opportunity to put forward viable proposals to preserve this historic house. This gives an opportunity to look at imaginative reuse of terraced housing - which has proved popular and successful elsewhere. It's right that the people of Liverpool themselves decide whether they want Ringo Starr's house to be demolished or to Let It Be."
David Bedord, author of the book "Liddypool" and one of those working to save the Madryn Street residence, told us, "When Phil Coppell, chair of the Save Madryn Street campaign rang me, I thought it was a simple Happy New Year wish. In the same week that we were told that English Heritage didn't consider Ringo Starr's birthplace to be of any significance, the UK government intervened to give us the best new year present we could have hoped for. Now, instead of trying to get a meeting with the local council officials, we have the government stepping in to make sure that local people and all interested parties can have their say. This is a great opportunity to save an important piece of Beatles' history, one of very few connected with Ringo Starr. Maybe this "sentimental journey" about "the other side of Liverpool" will have a happy ending after all?"
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Comments
You do mention it in this article Steve, but as anyone who has been to Madryn Street knows, the entire block has to be saved as it is all row houses. I'm not sure they will be successful for that reason....and what's next, Arnold Grove? Let's hope not.
No significance????? Many people dream of going to Liverpool, myself included. I would expect this house to be preserved as a part of Liverpool's incredible heritage....the idea that it isn't already safe makes no sense...for Beatles fans or Liverpool pride.
In this economy, wouldn't it be more cost effective to rehab the houses and preserve the character of the street rather than knocking it all down and putting up some boxes devoid of character?
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