Re: Llandudno's Pier Pavilion redevelopment site

[wrex]

 :)The pier Pavilion has just had a mention on bbc wales news,saying CCBC are looking to speak to the owners and get the heritage statues dropped,do not expect to hear anymore this year.

[DaveR]

:)The pier Pavilion has just had a mention on bbc wales news,saying CCBC are looking to speak to the owners and get the heritage statues dropped,do not expect to hear anymore this year.

There's a nice video report here, including some footage of the 1994 fire:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11277813

Quite what it has to do with Old Colwyn Councillor Brian Cossey is beyond me though? Although, as I know from previous experience, he is happy to meddle in other areas if he thinks there is political gain for himself.  :

[Ian]

Indeed.

[Fester]

With regard to the CCBC Planning Dept,  rather than get to grips with important issues for the good of this town, they seem more than happy to put a lot of emphasis into investigating the small area of decking in my garden.

In recent weeks I have had numerous visits from four CCBC employees, letters, photographs, meetings galore.
The only issue at stake was ''whether'' I even needed planning permission ....God knows what I would have been subjected to if my decking had actually contravened any bylaws!

I would love to think that when they tackle weighty issues such as the Pier Pavilion , Clarence or Tudno Castle, they will be as meticulous and rigorous as they have been with me !

In regard to the BBC article about the Pavilion today...I got really excited that I was about to view something progressive....but all I saw was a couple of local luminaries settling for nothing more than bulldozing the site and tidying it up.
What a disappointing load of Bull,  If that is the extent of the vision we can expect from our representatives, then its a sad depressing situation.
I'm gutted....and very pessimistic now.   A total waste of time...resource....and missed opportunity.


 

[JasonW]

:)The pier Pavilion has just had a mention on bbc wales news,saying CCBC are looking to speak to the owners and get the heritage statues dropped,do not expect to hear anymore this year.

There's a nice video report here, including some footage of the 1994 fire:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11277813

Quite what it has to do with Old Colwyn Councillor Brian Cossey is beyond me though? Although, as I know from previous experience, he is happy to meddle in other areas if he thinks there is political gain for himself.  :

I fear that expectation's may be being raised without substance.
The reality is that the subject was discussed at the Communities Scrutiny Committee (of which Cllr Cossey is the Chairman) at the request of Cllr Christine Jones. An update on all the failed attempts to move forward was presented and the issue discussed.
The sticking point remains to be the the fact it is in private owenership by a Mr Taylor from Worcestshire.
The committee resolved to invite Mr Taylor to a meeting to discuss his plans for the site.
The reloution of the meeting was:
a)         That the Pier Pavilion site be referred to the Strategic Site Development Group as a priority for review and for promotion as a re-development site in all the activities of the Group and constituent officers/departments.


(b)        That CADW be challenged on the reasons for retaining the Listed Building status on the site.

 

(c)        That the possibility of removing the covenants should be investigated.

 

(d)        That discussion be undertaken with the Economic and Regeneration Unit of the Welsh Assembly Government on the possibility of a Compulsory Purchase Order.

 

(e)        That a regular clean-up of the site should be undertaken, as and when necessary, together with the hoardings being replaced and the owner re-charged for any works undertaken.

 

(f)          That a letter be sent to the owner requesting a meeting with a small delegation of Members to discuss a way forward for the site.

See http://modgoveng.conwy.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=452&MId=2344&Ver=4
 for a copy of the report and minutes of the meeting.

[DaveR]

Speaking of the elusive Mr. Taylor, I remember a mysterious member on the old Forum who insisted that he had died - this was about 2 years ago. I wonder if that was some sort of ruse to throw us all off the scent? 

[Fester]

So, I was right to be pessimistic, and ''underwhelmed'' by the momemtum that ''appeared'' to be building about the Pier Pavilion Site.

Under these circumstances I see no reason why the BBC wasted valuable resource covering this ''non-story''
I also cannot understand why John Lawson-Reay or Mr Williams woke from their slumber to get in front of the cameras, or was it just an ego trip?
I suspect that was the case....definitely true of the Upper Colwyn Councillor.

I may have to forget about this whole issue...its very bad for my health.

Rex, I fear that may also be the case for you in terms of the Railway Station ...thats another subject where the information flow is pretty damned cold at the moment.

[Fester]

I don't believe that Mr Taylor of Worcester actually exists,  instead his name is a front for any number of dodgy companies.
Therefore I do not see it as being possible for a meeting to take place on this issue.

Mr Weyman has been quiet for a few days now, since your query?

[DaveR]

Thanks for researching the current situation with the Station for us. 

I've heard this comment about the Pier Pavilion site before and it doesn't seem to match up with reality, in that any change of ownership must be registered with the Land Registry - here's the record for the site that I downloaded last year, it clearly shows he has been the owner since 1.10.1999:

[DaveR]

Ok, it's time for our favourite Llandudno eyesore...the Pier Pavilion site. The 1884 Pier Pavilion was destroyed by fire back in 1994 and nothing has been done about it since, despite the fact it occupies a very prominent site in Llandudno.

It's impossible to walk past without witnessing a few puzzled tourists gazing down into the ruins and speculating on:
(a) What the building originally was - I heard one man telling another the other day that it had been a railway station. 
(b) What sort of local authority allows such an eyesore to remain for so long?

The site is owned by a Worcester businessman, who wants to build a large apartment block on it. Because he can't do that, he's been sulking for 16 years and we will probably be stuck with the eyesore for many years to come.  Can you imagine an eyesore like this remaining for so long in any other major UK seaside resort?:rage:

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[Fester]

Ohhhh ... don't get me going on this one.  Its depressing.

We went through all this, on this very thread 3 pages back ...at the time that the BBC News did a very brief and pointless article on it.

You are right to bring it back to the fore .... but I fear no matter how often you do this... nothing will be done.

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[Pendragon]

Would that be the reason it was set on fire in the first place maybe ?

[Blongb]

22 separate seats to the fire, each one of sufficient intensity to burn the place down on its own. Can't understand why Mr Worcester Businessman wasn't done for arson, as he was the only one to gain by its professional done destruction. Do you recon once he found out he couldn't beat the planning regulations, he went to the Banks and borrowed money on the site? If so it could explain why he is quite content to leave things as they are, he has no need to build anything. What got me going was the way CCBC used the Local Development Plan to move the habitable zone boundary from down the side of the Grand Hotel to down the side of the Amusement Arcade. Then a couple of weeks ago Councillors were saying to the BBC we will have to try and get CADW to lift the Listing on the site. IT WAS A GRADE II LISTED BUILDING IN A CONSERVATION AREA! If you want to see a coach and horses driven through the protection this Town has enjoyed then get in touch with your local Councillor and tell him you think its a good idea. If you love the Town as I do write to CADW and tell them you want the protection to remain. One final point; if the Council was able in these austere times to compulsorily purchase the site and then changed the planning regulations to let someone like Anwyl  for instance, build on the site, just think about the law suite  Mr Worcester Businessman would instigate against CCBC.

[dwsi]

Thanks for researching the current situation with the Station for us. 

I've heard this comment about the Pier Pavilion site before and it doesn't seem to match up with reality, in that any change of ownership must be registered with the Land Registry - here's the record for the site that I downloaded last year, it clearly shows he has been the owner since 1.10.1999:

I've done some digging. This is a picture of Mr David Taylor's 'house' http://goo.gl/maps/2fVA which was the offices of Estate Management Warwickshire Ltd. According to Companies House this company only existed between 15/09/2005 to 17/11/2005 as a non trading company. From 10/07/2003 to 16/02/2010 this was also the registered address of 19 non trading companies starting with the name 'E U' - source http://ukdata.com/a-z/Eu-1.html. On the 12/05/05 the registered address was changed to  40-44 Tan Lane, Stourport on  Severn, Worcestershire http://goo.gl/maps/IGtr. This address was the registered address of yet more non trading companies. Was David Taylor an employee or director of any of these companies or it's predecessors? Who exactly owns's the bomb site now? The plot now thickens!

[DaveR]

22 separate seats to the fire, each one of sufficient intensity to burn the place down on its own. Can't understand why Mr Worcester Businessman wasn't done for arson, as he was the only one to gain by its professional done destruction. Do you recon once he found out he couldn't beat the planning regulations, he went to the Banks and borrowed money on the site? If so it could explain why he is quite content to leave things as they are, he has no need to build anything.

This is all very interesting. How did you hear about the 22 separate seats to the fire, I've never heard that before? Surely a professional arsonist would be smarter than that?

Mr Taylor hasn't borrowed any money against the value of the site (whatever the value may be - opinions vary!). If he had borrowed any money, then a 'Charge' would appear on the Land Registry record, and there are none.

What got me going was the way CCBC used the Local Development Plan to move the habitable zone boundary from down the side of the Grand Hotel to down the side of the Amusement Arcade. Then a couple of weeks ago Councillors were saying to the BBC we will have to try and get CADW to lift the Listing on the site. IT WAS A GRADE II LISTED BUILDING IN A CONSERVATION AREA! If you want to see a coach and horses driven through the protection this Town has enjoyed then get in touch with your local Councillor and tell him you think its a good idea. If you love the Town as I do write to CADW and tell them you want the protection to remain. One final point; if the Council was able in these austere times to compulsorily purchase the site and then changed the planning regulations to let someone like Anwyl  for instance, build on the site, just think about the law suite  Mr Worcester Businessman would instigate against CCBC.

I can't see that residential usage would ever be allowed - it would be as overpowering as that awful block of flats by the Royal Hotel. Llandudno desperately needs a large all-weather attraction and the Pavilion site is the only realistic place for it.