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Author Topic: Charles Ingham Bandroom in Memorial Park  (Read 7605 times)

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Re: Charles Ingham Bandroom in Memorial Park
« Reply #17 on: August 13, 2010, 04:23:33 PM »
Have you submitted positive comments on their application to use the plot near the Edge for residential development via the on-line form? This is needed to finance the work required on the Park Cottage. Every positive comment will help. There are 2 in favour and 1 against at present. See:

http://planning.stockport.gov.uk/PlanningData/AcolNetCGI.gov?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPNAME=Root.PgeResultDetail&TheSystemkey=105602
Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website

bat man

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Re: Charles Ingham Bandroom in Memorial Park
« Reply #16 on: August 13, 2010, 04:16:21 PM »
I wish the bands luck,the bands are really excellent,I have been to the concerts at the ring o bells. :)

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Re: Charles Ingham Bandroom in Memorial Park
« Reply #15 on: July 31, 2010, 05:16:58 PM »
If you've continued to follow closely the minutes of the Friends of Memorial Park's meetings you will know that Marple Bands have obtained planning permission to turn the former Park Keeper's Cottage in Memorial Park into a Band Practice Room. The Bands are also in the final stages of negotiating a lease from the council for a "peppercorn" rent.

Some people will also be aware that the bands have owned land behind the Edge for a long time and had planning permission to build a band room there but have never been able to afford the building costs.

SInce the opportunity to use the cottage as a band room arose the Bands have hoped to use their existing land to fund the improvements to the cottage. The first step was to obtain planning permission to use the cottage, which has been achieved. The next step is to try to obtain planning permission to build private dwellings on the site behind the Edge, which would allow the land to be sold to a developer and the proceeds used to pay for the improvements to the cottage.

The bands have now submitted an outline planning application for a two storey residential development comprising of two number two bedroom apartments. The application was actually submitted in April but was not registered until July because the council requested a noise study, which has now been done.

The application details are available on-line here :

http://planning.stockport.gov.uk/PlanningData/AcolNetCGI.gov?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPNAME=Root.PgeResultDetail&TheSystemkey=105602

Marple Bands are a registered charity and the reason for the application is so that the land can be sold to raise the money required to convert the Park Keeper's Cottage. All money will go to that project and to the future upkeep of the Band Practice Room and no individuals will make a profit from the sale if planning permission is successful.

Members of the public can submit on-line comments about the planning application and it would show community support for this whole project if our users would do so. The Friends of Memorial Park have already submitted our comments in support of the application (although it is not yet showing on the site).
Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website

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Charles Ingham Bandroom in Memorial Park
« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2009, 08:41:06 AM »
Those of you who read the Friends of Memorial Park minutes all the way through will be aware that plans to use the old Park Keeper's cottage in the park as a bandroom for Marple and Hawk Green Bands have been developing for some time. More recently you may have seen a new leaflet published by the "Brass Bands of Marple" providing more detail about this.

The Marple Website and the Friends of Marple Memorial Park are hugely supportive of the plans to use the cottage in this way and will be happy to help in any way we can. In the longer term, if these plans come to fruition, we envisage that as well as the practice room in the park there could be a good old-fashioned bandstand nearby too. Wouldn't that be brilliant!

The Bands are developing a web site to keep everyone informed and we will provide links to it as soon as it is ready to be unveiled. In the meantime use the leaflet link to learn about their plans.
Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website

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Re: Park Keepers Cottage
« Reply #13 on: November 09, 2008, 02:04:39 PM »
The answer to this seems to lie in the Cottage details published by the council:
Quote
By virtue of the Local Government Act 1972, S123 Stockport MBC are required to obtain the best consideration that can be reasonably be obtained in the disposal of its land and property other than under agreements having a duration of less than 7 years. Consideration of this requirement will need to be made in the judging of expressions of interest.

You can see the cottage details using this link: www.marple-uk.com/misc/formerParkKeepersCottagedetails.pdf



Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website

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Charles Ingham Bandroom in Memorial Park
« Reply #12 on: October 30, 2008, 11:02:08 AM »
Why is it necessary for the local council to erect a "For let" Sign on the park Keepers cottage? The Council has already been given a proposal by The Marple Bands Building committee to fully repair and extend the property in keepping with the traditional style of the building at their own expense, as a community rehearsal facility for the two local brass bands. This is just wasting time especially when one of the bands just had their rehearsal facility destroyed by a fired. The council needs to stop pussyfooting about and need to make a clear decision!

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Park keepers cottage
« Reply #11 on: November 18, 2006, 08:57:11 AM »
I've received the following update from David Brayshay at the council via telephone on Monday 13th November, prior to the Friends of the Park meeting. David has advised that he is aware of your interest Mike, but says that nobody has spoken to him about your plans yet.

Extract from FOMMP minutes:
Finding a solution to the problems is now the responsibility of the Council’s Finance and Property Services Division, who are considering four options:

1 - Private Sale – the problems with this are the legal covenants and restrictions, which are strict and clear. Loss of control of the building is also a potential problem and the price would be depressed due to the lack of access to the property and the amount of investment needed.

2 - To let the property – Pure Innovations and Treetops Nursery have considered the property and declined; so another partnership needs to be found. The council considers that a high revenue stream may not be achievable and the location as a business may not be financially viable. Letting is likely to mean that the council would have to pay for the refurbishment.

3 - Bring back into Council use – Possibly as a drop in centre for mobile workers, a tourist information point, a base for Community Support Officers etc. Refurbishment costs would again be an issue. Estimates / surveys suggest a budget price in the region of £20,000 would be needed to bring the property back to a habitable state.

4 – “Envelope & Secure” it – basically to batten down the hatches and leave it empty for the foreseeable future. This may be the preferred option if the choice is made purely on financial grounds. The council are aware that this would be very unpopular in the eyes of local groups and politicians.
   


If you still have an interest in the property, and a viable plan, I think you could be in a strong position and urge you to get in touch with David. I would also like to invite you to our next Friends of the Park meeting in Marple Library at 6.30 pm on Monday 11th December to explain your proposals to the group. Please let me know in advance if you will be attending so that it can be added to the agenda.

This information will also be sent to you via email.
Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website

Mike

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Park keepers cottage
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2006, 12:42:54 PM »
I must apologise for calling the park keepers cottage a waste of time.

Thank you for your help on this subject. I will contact David as soon as I can, but in the meantime if any of the Friends of the park want to discuss my plans, then please let me know in a reply and I will send you my contact details.

I am very serious about the building. The restoration and improvement does not phase me and I believe that it can only be for the good of the park on a whole. i know some ideas sound great at the time and come to nothing (like the nursery) but this is something that I want to do.

The covenants that are on the building are a little scary, but with discussion and planning, I am sure we can all reach a suitable outcome.

Thank you again

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Park keepers cottage
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2006, 04:13:38 PM »
I've had an initial response from David Brayshay at the council. He has confirmed that the Pure Innovations (who run Etherow Park cafe) and the nursery proposals for the cottage have not come to fruition. He is making enquiries with the Finance & Property Services Division, who are responsible for asset management / disposal, and seeking an update from them and will then tell us more.

It may well be the FPS that your mother has spoken to already but David is not aware of contact from anyone else showing an interest in the property. He has asked me to pass on his contact details to anyone who does have an interest so that they can get in touch, and I will send these to you privately.

If nobody else has come forward with proposals then I think this could strengthen your mum's position considerably and the way forward is to get in touch with David, speak to the local councillors and start to put pressure on the council to make some decisions.

After we've heard from David again and you have been in touch too, it may be appropriate for you to come and explain your proposals to the Friends of the Park and perhaps we will be able to lend our support.
Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website

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Park keepers cottage
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2006, 08:12:00 PM »
No, our local councillors are:

Marple North
Craig Edward Wright, Martin Candler, Andrew Bispham

Marple South
Susan Anne Ingham, Shan Alexander, Christopher Baker

see this link for full contact details.

The Area Meetings are held at Marple Library once a month and the dates and times are detailed in the Events section of this forum. Get there early if you want to ask questions as they need to be handed in at the start.

Details of surgeries are published in the Council's newspaper, "Civic Review,". This information may also be obtained from your local information and advice centre and libraries. Information centre staff may be able to make a special appointment for you, or arrange for a Councillor to call at your home, depending on the circumstances.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

Ps - I have now written to David Brayshay for an update on the situation and will let you know what I learn.
Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website

Mike

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Park keepers cottage
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2006, 07:39:55 PM »
Am I right in thinking that Chris Davies is one of the local councillors?

Also, are the surgeries every saturday morning?

And when and where are the area meetings held.

Thank you for your help.

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Park keepers cottage
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2006, 07:19:41 PM »
I'm not a solicitor but the way I understand it the council own it (on behalf of the community) in the same way that they do the park and many other assets. That's why we elect local councillors to act on our behalf. So it is everything to do with the council but they are constrained by legal conditions put in place when it was given to them as to what use it can be put to.

I intend to ask David Brayshay to provide the Friends with an update on the situation, which I will share here when received. I suspect that there are problems with the nursery proposition as it has gone on for so long without any signs of progress (I had not realised how long until I checked back today).

Have you written to local councillors about this? Have you been to one of their surgeries in the library on Saturday mornings to ask them about it? Have you been to an Area Committee Meeting to ask about it? If not, perhaps you should do one or all of these things.

If you haven't made a written proposition to the council then you haven't really put them in a position where they have to consider it properly. That would still be my suggestion, unless you can't afford the potentially wasted time.
Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website

Mike

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Park keepers cottage
« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2006, 06:47:19 PM »
To be honest with you I thought that Treetops had opened a new Nursery elsewhere. That idea may not be viable anymore.

We have made a really strong case to the council but I feel now that we are barking up the wrong tree.

Am I right in thinking that the community of Marple own the building? So it is nothing to do with the council?

Are there any suggestions to "make it work" as you suggest. If it is not to be used as a business purpose, surely a nursery is a business.

I have already thought about the financial investment and am willing to cover this. If the building is preserved as it should be and not altered in any way (except the repairs it so badly needs) then I fail to see the problem.

The council know our proposal and have said that it is not one of their priorities, so a firm proposal from us may be a waste of time. Any suggestions?

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Park keepers cottage
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2006, 05:44:50 PM »
I agree with your sentiments, it would be a terrible shame if it is not put to good use. A tearoom is the ideal solution as a use for the building and if you read the minutes you will see that everyone there supported that as an idea. The trick is to find a way to make it work. The possibility of the Nursery seems to have halted any progress towards this objective at present.

It would need a substantial investment from somewhere to turn it into a viable tearoom and it would need a solution to the covenants and restrictions placed upon it. These were obviously written in at the time to protect it and have prevented the council from selling it privately, which I believe they would have done if they were not prevented from doing so. In the end those historic attempts to protect it may well prove to be its undoing.

Perhaps your mother should try submitting a firm proposal to the council and see whether a suitable workaround can be achieved.
Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website

Mike

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Park keepers cottage
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2006, 05:25:11 PM »
I'll be honest with you, I have already been in contact with the council regarding this building.

My mother is a respected shop owner in Marple and asked the Council if they would be prepared to sell or lease her the property for use as a tea room/cafe.

She spoke to a chap in the finance dept who never mentioned the rules and regs regarding the use of the building.

When you sit back and think of the benefits of using the building for such purposes, it makes much more sense than watching it rot.

If it was given to the people of Marple, should it not be up to the people of Marple to decide what to do with it?

I am not just thinking from a business point of view, but a caring member of the Marple community. Bringing people to the park, providing a service which it needs and helping the community.

Oh well, I suppose we can just pull it down.