Port Sunlight / Community / News / Thornton Hall

Concern over spa for the rich and famous

CONSERVATIONISTS are calling for plans for a multimillion pound revamp of the ancestral home of the Leverhulme family to be put on hold.Lee Magner, a London-based property entrepreneur, bought Thornton Hall in a £3.5m deal last year.He has submitted a planning application to transform the building into a luxury hotel and health club.But conservation groups fear the application is "premature" and claim it could have serious implications for the future of the site.

The Garden History Society, a national organisation responsible for the protection of historic gardens, is planning to visit the Thornton Hough mansion with representatives from English Heritage.Kathryn Gibson, the society's northern region conservation caseworker, said: "This is a Grade II* registered site so in national terms it's quite outstanding and of exceptional historic importance. We want to ensure any developments do not compromise any of the features which make it so special."Ms Gibson said the society " broadly" supported alterations to the actual building.But she added: "Proposals for car parking in the walled garden area are of concern. We want to look at an alternative. We don't want important features destroyed."Good conservation practice indicates that any major changes to an historic landscape should flow clearly from an historic landscape assessment and be supported by a comprehensive conservation management plan."Particular issues of concern are the demolition of greenhouses and outbuildings, and the parking provision."We would like to see plans put on hold until these are addressed." If the proposals are successful, the former home of the founder of the Port Sunlight soap works will become the first health spa and retreat in the North West aimed at the rich and famous.

Work is due to start in May, with the new centre opening for business in December or January. It is expected to create about 100 jobs.But the plans have also come under fire from people in Thornton Hough.Reverend Derek Seber, representing the village's conservation committee, said: "We held a meeting earlier this week and have formulated a response to Wirral's planning committee."The clear opinion of the people involved was generally supportive of the development."But there are a couple of reservations. It is felt there could be a problem, which could become dangerous, with increasing numbers of vehicles in a small village which already has traffic difficulties."It will mean there are two spa facilities here and we don't want one to survive at the expense of the other. We are also concerned about the demolition of garden features."

Thornton Hall was put on the market after the third and last Lord Leverhulme died in July 2000, at the age of 85.Mr Magner, who will own and operate the complex with his wife Janet, last night said: "We are working with English Heritage to get together a management plan that they feel comfortable with."There are no planned changes to the gardens other than the walled garden which we are hoping to reinstate because it has been effectively lost."English Heritage are visiting the site to assess exactly what is going on and I will consult with them after that."A spokesman for Wirral Council's planning department said: "We have a current full planning application and listed building consent application."There's no date for it to go to committee yet and we are still working in consultation with interested parties."..SUPL:

Jan 23 2002
By Stuart Dye Daily Post Staff back to community latest

	[ LINKS ] [ THORNTON HALL ]
.	Concern over spa for the rich and famous CONSERVATIONISTS are calling for plans for a multimillion pound revamp of the ancestral home of the Leverhulme family to be put on hold.Lee Magner, a London-based property entrepreneur, bought Thornton Hall in a £3.5m deal last year.He has submitted a planning application to transform the building into a luxury hotel and health club.But conservation groups fear the application is "premature" and claim it could have serious implications for the future of the site. The Garden History Society, a national organisation responsible for the protection of historic gardens, is planning to visit the Thornton Hough mansion with representatives from English Heritage.Kathryn Gibson, the society's northern region conservation caseworker, said: "This is a Grade II* registered site so in national terms it's quite outstanding and of exceptional historic importance. We want to ensure any developments do not compromise any of the features which make it so special."Ms Gibson said the society " broadly" supported alterations to the actual building.But she added: "Proposals for car parking in the walled garden area are of concern. We want to look at an alternative. We don't want important features destroyed."Good conservation practice indicates that any major changes to an historic landscape should flow clearly from an historic landscape assessment and be supported by a comprehensive conservation management plan."Particular issues of concern are the demolition of greenhouses and outbuildings, and the parking provision."We would like to see plans put on hold until these are addressed." If the proposals are successful, the former home of the founder of the Port Sunlight soap works will become the first health spa and retreat in the North West aimed at the rich and famous. Work is due to start in May, with the new centre opening for business in December or January. It is expected to create about 100 jobs.But the plans have also come under fire from people in Thornton Hough.Reverend Derek Seber, representing the village's conservation committee, said: "We held a meeting earlier this week and have formulated a response to Wirral's planning committee."The clear opinion of the people involved was generally supportive of the development."But there are a couple of reservations. It is felt there could be a problem, which could become dangerous, with increasing numbers of vehicles in a small village which already has traffic difficulties."It will mean there are two spa facilities here and we don't want one to survive at the expense of the other. We are also concerned about the demolition of garden features." Thornton Hall was put on the market after the third and last Lord Leverhulme died in July 2000, at the age of 85.Mr Magner, who will own and operate the complex with his wife Janet, last night said: "We are working with English Heritage to get together a management plan that they feel comfortable with."There are no planned changes to the gardens other than the walled garden which we are hoping to reinstate because it has been effectively lost."English Heritage are visiting the site to assess exactly what is going on and I will consult with them after that."A spokesman for Wirral Council's planning department said: "We have a current full planning application and listed building consent application."There's no date for it to go to committee yet and we are still working in consultation with interested parties."..SUPL: Jan 23 2002 By Stuart Dye Daily Post Staff back to community latest