13 December 2012
The Black Horse, Moss Bank: the people have spoken, now it’s time for St Helens Council to act
St Helens Green Party has set out its position in respect of the threat to one of the town’s oldest public houses: the Black Horse at Moss Bank.
Cheshire-based developer Steppingstone has submitted an application to demolish the historic 18th century stone building, bury its bowling green and build 16 modern, redbrick houses on the Moss Bank Road site.
But St Helens Green Party insists that St Helens Council must reject the application and do everything in its power to protect the building from vandalism until its future is secured.
Francis Williams of St Helens Green Party says:
“We are utterly dismayed at these proposals to destroy yet another piece of our town’s heritage. The plans must be thrown out.
“According to its own core strategy for development, the council is committed to protect, conserve and enhance our historic built environment. Clearly, the Black Horse falls into this category and in allowing its demolition the council would contradict its own policies.
“This part of Moss Bank, including nearby Moss Bank Mission and Neill Cottage, should urgently be considered for conservation area status.”
Having considered St Helens Council’s Core Plan and other policy documents, St Helens Green Party believes that the Steppingstone proposals:
1. neither maintain nor enhance the local environment;
2. fail to safeguard the built and historic environment;
3. will have a detrimental effect on local amenities, especially social, recreational and residential;
4. do not protect existing landscape features or provide open space;
5. adversely affect local recreational opportunities;
6. fail to safeguard green infrastructure;
7. will lead to unnecessary tree loss;
8. do not safeguard or enhance the historic landscape;
9. poses a significant safety risk to road users and pedestrians;
10. threaten land and property that has a demonstrable community value;
11. should not even be considered until a thorough bat survey is carried out next summer;
12. will have a detrimental effect on trees, including those already subject to preservation orders; and
13. are harmful to local employment and enterprise opportunities where they are needed most.
Francis Williams adds:
“It should be unlucky 13 for the developers. Local residents have given the council many good reasons to reject this application, while the applicants, for example through their dealings with the bowling club, can have done little to earn support.
“For example, it is stated in the planning application that the Black Horse bowling green isn’t used. This is true, but only because the new landowner has removed access to bowling club members.
“It also appears that property belonging to the bowling club has been removed without members’ consent and their complaints have been ignored. The issue of trust cannot be ignored.
“St Helens has suffered cultural vandalism and neglect for far too long. The character of the town is constantly being destroyed before our very eyes. It’s time to stop the grot.”
St Helens Green Party RSS Feed