Future of Wirral laboratory building to be decided

12:01pm Thursday 5th July 2012 in News By Stephanie Cureton

Peter Crawford Peter Crawford

A COMMUNITY group is hoping councillors will delay a decision over the demolition of the historic Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory.

Wirral's ruling cabinet is set to approve plans for the building, which is on Bidston Hill, to be knocked down due to maintenance costs.

The laboratory's current leaseholders, the Natural Environment Research Council, struggled to find someone to take over the lease and therefore want to demolish it.

However Bidston Preservation Trust chairman and Wirral Taiko Dragon Drummers chairman Peter Crawford believes the 1970s building would be "perfect" to house a centre for Taiko drumming.

Councillors deferred their decision when they last met on June 21 but Mr Crawford is hoping they will further postpone a resolution until a full business plan has been drawn up.

He told the Globe: "This building would be absolutely ideal for the Wirral Taiko Dragon Drummers to move into.

"There is such a demand for the project and there are enormous health benefits involved for people with mobility mental problems.

"We are in talks with consultants to get a proper plan together so we want the councillors to either reject or postpone their decision until the project is fully in place.

"The site is perfect for this particular use especially as the noise from the drums would not affect any residential area and there would be no planning issues involved.

"The building should be preserved historically – it is a landmark."

The four-storey building on the site, known as the Joseph Proudman Laboratory Building, was used for research purposes until 2005 when staff were transferred to new purpose-built premises at the University of Liverpool.

According to council documents, which will go before cabinet on Tuesday, the building is proving "very expensive to maintain" for NERC and they believe that the "most effective course of action" would be demolition.

Council leader Phil Davies said the Taiko drummers’ plans will be considered.

He said: "We want to make sure that the Taiko Drumming Centre (TDC) is given every opportunity to demonstrate that they have got a business plan which is deliverable. If they have, we can look at it in more detail.

"It is important to know that even if consent is given to demolish the building, the TDC's plans will still be considered and will not be dismissed."

Comments(15)

red devil says...
12:55pm Thu 5 Jul 12

why is it everything has to be demolished? This is an integral part of Bidston & Birkenhead history, the Council are allegedly here to represent us, the voter, and should not be making decisions of this magnitude.

Report this post »

JimmyMercury says...
1:18pm Thu 5 Jul 12

Very misleading photograph Wirral Globe. It is the Proudman they want to demolish not the old Observatory. It would be no loss to lose the modern building which doesn't fit with the surroundings.

Report this post »

SEXYKITTY88 says...
1:38pm Thu 5 Jul 12

GUYS ... PLEASE VETO THIS ... I OFTEN WALK BY THIS PLACE ON BIDSTON HILL AND ITS A BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC BUILDING THAT WAS EVEN USED AS PART OF THE D DAY HISTORY ... I OFTEN DREAM HOW IF I HAD THE MONEY ... I WOULD TRANSFORM THIS PLACE INTO A CARE HOME FOR DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN OR ANIMALS. ITS LOCATED IN SUCH A PEACEFUL LOCATION WITH FANTASTIC VIEWS OVER WIRRAL AND WIRRAL CAOSTLINE. DEMOLISHING THIS HISTORIC SITE IS A CRIME ... PURELY BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY CANT AFFORD THE MAINTENANCE. IT COULD ALSO BE CHANGED INTO A LOVELY HOTEL. IF I HAD THE MONEY ... I WOULD BUY THIS PLACE AND LIVE THERE !!! HISTORIC PLACES LIKE THIS SHOULD BE PRESERVED AND VALUED !!! IF WIRRAL GLOBE CAN HELP ME RAISE CAPITAL TO USE THIS BUILDING FOR GOOD USE INSTEAD OF DEMOLITION ... LETS DO SO!!!

Report this post »

WirralAl says...
1:46pm Thu 5 Jul 12

red devil wrote:
why is it everything has to be demolished? This is an integral part of Bidston & Birkenhead history, the Council are allegedly here to represent us, the voter, and should not be making decisions of this magnitude.
The council are there to represent their own interests and they would rather knock a building down if it does not pay money.

To knock this building down would be as disgraceful as Liscard central park old art college, New Brighton baths, mother red caps. It could go on and on. Need I say HMS Plymouth, the last world war landing craft. They should make the most of the old heritage and buildings we have to keep Wirral as a leisure destination.

Report this post »

JimmyMercury says...
2:30pm Thu 5 Jul 12

It would have a job to have done anything to help the D day landings as it wasn't built until the 1970's. I say again, it is not the observatory they want to knock down.

Report this post »

bigfoot says...
5:15pm Thu 5 Jul 12

Misleading photograph,its the moder white block to go.
What happened to the proposal for a hotel and restaurant?

Report this post »

statictom says...
8:24pm Fri 6 Jul 12

Anyone who has seen the work of the Wirral Taiko Drummers would be very impressed. I have seen the work they do at Eastham Adult Day Centre, working with people with severe learning difficulties and its a joy to see. They have worked miracles with some of the students. I wish them all the best in their application and would sooner see funds made available for a project like this than the strange Wirral Column of light.

Report this post »

Linkwood says...
1:45pm Sat 7 Jul 12

The Joseph Proudman Building opened in 1979. It is hardly historic. Some readers are confusing it with the Grade-II listed Bidston Observatory.

Nor is it true that the drumming would not affect any residential area. The Lighthouse Cottages, only a few yards away, ARE residential.

Report this post »

Linkwood says...
1:51pm Sat 7 Jul 12

The Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory is an organisation, not a building. It relocated to the University of Liverpool in 2004, and is now part of the National Oceanography Centre. It is facing 30% staff cuts because of pressure on NERC's budget. Having to maintain the Joseph Proudman Building (the building that NERC want to demolish) doesn't help.

Report this post »

johnbrace says...
4:54pm Sat 7 Jul 12

Linkwood wrote:
The Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory is an organisation, not a building. It relocated to the University of Liverpool in 2004, and is now part of the National Oceanography Centre. It is facing 30% staff cuts because of pressure on NERC's budget. Having to maintain the Joseph Proudman Building (the building that NERC want to demolish) doesn't help.
I raised with a member of the senior management of POL the issue of the future of the site way back I think 2003 or 2004, all I got was a rather evasive reply. The guy in question has since left POL to work in Australia.... however yes POL did move to a building on the University of Liverpool campus. NERC (and organisations dependent on it) have been facing budget cuts for a good while though.

As far as I can tell the Joseph Proudman Building hasn't been maintained as they wanted to sell on their lease in it. A lot of the rest of the site is Grade II-listed, so can't be easily demolished and it could be argued that demolition of the Joseph Proudman Building would affect the setting of the Grade II listed buildings such as the Observatory....

Report this post »

Positive thinker says...
6:10pm Sat 7 Jul 12

I don't know what's up with
some people,the building in question looks out of place,its proabley a case of moaning for the sake of it.Taiko dragon drummers why dosnt Mr.Crawford dig deep and buy the building then everyone's happy

Report this post »

bickyboy says...
10:59am Sun 8 Jul 12

Perhaps the council could lease the building and use it as a halfway house for senior council officers who are on their way out of the door due to corruption. They could be housed in the kind of five star luxury they can expect when they collect their six figure payoffs, be given advice as to how to invest their platinum handshakes and treated to manicures, massages and pedicures to soothe away the pain of having been found out. Given the number of such cases regularly appearing in the local papers, the place would be kept busy for years.

Report this post »

Positive thinker says...
3:10pm Sun 8 Jul 12

Interesting debate lets put aside all the silly comments about a half way house ect,why don't WBC approach or put the idea to some of the wirrals property company's to come forward with a scheme to keep the building,relieve them of any financial burden it's got to be worth ago the drumming group is a positive idea but you have got to ask the question CAN IT STAND ON ITS ON TWO FEET

Report this post »

bickyboy says...
9:36am Mon 9 Jul 12

My comment about a halfway house was tongue in cheek, as you know, PT. It was never meant to be anything BUT silly, and was only meant as a little light, gently ironic relief to punctuate the thread, although it referred indirectly to an issue which is of great concern to many Wirral residents. Now, with my blessing you can get on with being serious.

Report this post »

council officer says...
1:34pm Mon 9 Jul 12

Positive thinker wrote:
Interesting debate lets put aside all the silly comments about a half way house ect,why don't WBC approach or put the idea to some of the wirrals property company's to come forward with a scheme to keep the building,relieve them of any financial burden it's got to be worth ago the drumming group is a positive idea but you have got to ask the question CAN IT STAND ON ITS ON TWO FEET
Umm, nail right on head Positive thinker! It is ok transferring the building to the Taiko Drummers but do they have a business plan to sustain it? If so, then maybe it's a plan but if not, then no.

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree