Posted by Owen Roberts on March 10, 2012 at 14:17:31 user OwenRoberts.
In Reply to: Re: Lanehead – a new AR centre? posted by Roger Wardale on March 10, 2012 at 13:07:16:
I agree with the objective as an AR centre.
BUT don’t forget the Dogs Home – which is an identifiable AR location whereas Lanehead may well have a Beckfoot atmosphere but it is not visually easily identifiable as a Beckfoot prototype.
Not sure that Lanehead would be safe from a private buyer. An expert planning lawyer, I used to know, said if the client has enough money and enough patience any thing could be achieved. This included having a Grade 1 building delisted. BUT most rich clients have a “want it now” attitude which does not work with the usual planning regime. It can easily take 10 to 12 years to achieve the client’s required objective.
The weakness about any current strictures regarding future use of Lanehead is that it was originally a private house and “reversion to original use” is a powerful argument in a court appeal especially in an area like the Lake District. Local interest could easily be served by having a local estate agent or charity as a nominee owner.
Not that I am saying that anything above should be a disincentive to going ahead, but be prepared for it to be much more difficult and costly that one might initially envisage.