A LISTED mansion which was destroyed by fire after being allowed to fall into ruin is unlikely to be rebuilt.

Liscard Hall, in Wallasey’s Central Park, was gutted in the July 2008 blaze and was later demolished because of safety fears.

Wirral council said the Grade II- listed building was so badly damaged it had to be torn down – but the site has remained grassed over since.

The money to carry out any work on the site would have to come from the insurance payout for the hall, which came to £117,810, minus the cost of the demolition, which came to around £80,000.

Built in 1835 as the rural home for the one-time Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Sir John Tobin, the mansion was marketed by Wirral council a year before it was destroyed.

A report to senior councillors by the council’s legal director Bill Norman says the prospects of constructing a new building on the site “are extremely limited”.

Instead, it proposes the condition of the site of the hall could be “substantially improved by a landscaping scheme” and linking it better with the nearby rose garden.

Nearby outbuildings, which are also Grade II-listed but in poor condition, could be developed – but interest from private developers is not expected.

Liscard councillor Leah Fraser said: “Why has it taken so long to produce this report?

“What a shame it took the destruction of the building to make the council sit up and take notice.

“The community groups, not least the Friends of Central Park, have worked carefully and been extremely patient.

“I hope the council now acts quickly and listens to what people say.”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/live...all-will-not-be-rebuilt-100252-25551520/

Please leave a comment at the Echo. Andy McCluskey (of Wirral band OMD) "georgeandrews" and myself "Winston" (named after a tape recorder that OMD used!), have left comments!

I moved to the Wirral in 1991 and remember walking around the place but was it open (privately or to the public) then? I only remember it appearing to be derelict unfortunately.

It was known as 'Serve Wirral Training' at the time. It was a training scheme centre that helped people back into work.

When i was a kid i thort it was where john+ yoko did the vid for 'imagine'.
Me dad laffed his head off!! I have attachment issues as a direct result

i never ever thought it would be. i reckon the council saw it as a thorn in their side, and set up the fire so it could be demolished the very next day.

TOO RIGHT! st. Johns church will be next!

Reminds me of Newton Old Hall (in Newton-le-Willows). That was a listed building situated in the back of beyond which somehow found itself demolished (by the council) with not much else made of the site thereafter-great pity, looked a bit like Speke Hall on a smaller scale.

Grrrrr. Wastage. Grrr.

5 hours after Liscard Hall was set alight (3am they reckon) the bulldozers where there at 8am all flattened by 10am. never heard of the council moving that quick for anything before???

yeh St Johns Church look set for the next bulldozer

I recorded a clip to Youtube the day they demolished the building

[youtube]ygirR8AsMPc[/youtube]

It's a shame they knocked it down with out any thought, I remember when Wirral Met college were there before they moved to Withen’s Lane my dad used to work there about 25years ago in the art department.

Surely they should of held off, taken it down brick by brick cleaned them and then rebuilt it back, the park has lost a great building and the council don't care apart from it saved them a lot of cash keeping it going.

They were pretty quick on Birkenhead Old Market if I remember correctly.

http://www....co.uk/wallasey/liscard_hall/index.html

I remember when it was the school of art and I used to walk the dogs around there when I lived in Parkside. It's a great shame but like a lot of things conected to Wirral Council they wait until something happens to it and then get rid of it as soon as they can. No planning, no vision, no forward thinking of what to do with anything which is heritage. The councilors must be in bred because they have been no different since the tower was demolished (or New Brighton Baths, or the Derby Pool, or Mother Redcaps, etc, etc, etc.)

hmmm deja vu - listed building, can't get permission to demolish...fire, demolition! anyone remember leasowe hospital? that had 2 or 3 strategically placed fires and now flats and houses! also i seem to remember conway street (at the junction of exmouth street) had a row of shops that the council wanted gone - next thing - massive fire and demolition!

or am i just being a bit too miss marple?!

Baz

Don't forget the Woodside Hotel...

yeah forgot that one! new brighton tower ballroom....??

it just goes to show there is no such thing as a 'listed building' if the council want shot of it!

Unless it's on their list to set fire to

What a waist of land they could build somethink really good there like a sports centre or somethink

Same goes for ST Johns church in central park WHAT A WAIST