[Bell Historians] Bolton

[Andrew]

John H Allen wrote:
>
>
> And is certain parts of the UK – Controlled Ruination!
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>
>> In western Australia we call this 'dereliction by design'.
>>
>
> Because land here is generally far more valuable than the building on 
> it (a strange state of affairs in a country so large), owners allow a 
> listed building deteriorate to the extent where demolitionis the only 
> viable option. The property can then be subdivided and a vast profit 
> made on the speculation.
>
> R
>

But there are remedies.
The local authorities can use their Compulsory Purchase powers and 
acquire the building but there the problems start.
Local Government is either prevented from or more usually is incapable 
of the dealing with the building in an entrepreneurial way and they 
merely take on the loss which the tax payer ends up covering.
Then there are issues of Planning Consent and Enforcement, all powers of 
the Local Authority, which if used inteligently can prevent this sort of 
problem.

We know of a situation like that.
The significant building has been in Council control for 15 years now 
and still the Local Government Officers are failing to even cut their 
losses and dispose of it.
"Apparently developers cannot come up with schemes that stack up to the 
satisfaction of our Officers, who are all of course highly experienced 
in these matters but prefer working in a more socially useful 
environment with guaranteed pensions etc etc."

I've just remembered that I'm not supposed to criticise them so the 
above is a quotation from someone else.

One shouldn't necessarily blame everyone else in sight when those paid 
to prevent the situation [and who are backed by considerable legal 
powers] fail to do so and are not held to account.

Andrew