CROSBY & LITHERLAND
CELEBRATING
25 YEARS
COULSON FLOORING BEST PRICE , BEST QUALITY , GUARANTEED • CARPETS • VINYL • LAMINATE FLOORING OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL
0151 924 4710 • 07919 531 658 171 COLLEGE ROAD, CROSBY, L23 7TZ Open Mon - Sat 9.30am - 5.30pm
14 August 2019
Vol 26 l Issue 33
www.champnews.com
HORSE SANCTUARY COULD BE FORCED TO MOVE OVER COUNCIL LEASE WRANGLE fund the changes to our infrastructure such as the horse drawn wildlife trail that was going to provide access to the whole site to wheelchair users along with all weather riding facilities and drainage which would increase sustainability and comfort. “We therefore wanted to obtain the freehold of our site. “It’s only 8.5 acres and so at current rates for greenbelt land in poor condition its current value would be around £56,000. “Even if it was considered to be prime green Report by Tom Martin belt land its value would be £85,000. “Our local authority decided not to sell, they want to retain ownership and we’re not sure why. A HORSE sanctuary in Thornton could be “We have, however, been offered a 99 year forced to move over a dispute about a lease at a cost of £85,000 with the addition of lease with Sefton Council. ‘termination clauses’ which would render it Shy Lowen Horse and Pony Sanctuary, useless in terms of accessing funding or, actubased on Buckley Hill Lane, wants to make ally, in maintaining the personal desire to their home permanent by purchasing the spend every day of my life for the betterment freehold. of it. This would mean they own the building “I now feel that the time and money can be and the land it stands on. better spent in an environment where our The council has refused, however and has work is given a higher value by those with the instead offered a renewed leasehold deal. power to make positive change possible. The charity’s founder Bernadette Langfield, “I love where we are. The area is my home, I claims carrying on with a leasehold affects know the challenges and the hardships. I also how much funding they can receive so stayknow the heart and strength of the coming put is no longer an option. munity. As a result, they are now looking for a new “I want to continue to make a place of peace location after 20 years. for everyone to enjoy, to save lives and Bernadette said: “Shockingly it is our local change lives. I feel humbled at the level of authority who are causing this situation as support we receive from our friends, both we are considered to be a commercial operalocal and afar.” Shy Lowen Horse and Pony Sanctuary founder Bernadette Langfield. tion. A spokesperson from Sefton Council said: “I would have liked an understanding of that were threatened by a proposed new road and the second before we have spent so many years providing pony because our lease of our Buckley Hill Lane site ends in “We have been in contact with the leaseholders to disrides at local authority community events for free or at 2020 so we could not prove the long term future of Shy cuss their proposals and available options moving forward. lower than the cost of providing them. Lowen on this site. “We will be meeting with them this week to discuss the “We have been unable to raise any capital funding over “It has meant that we have been unable to take up the past four years on two counts – the first because we offers of funding and have, therefore, been unable to next steps.”
Sanctuary founder says she feels ‘let down’ by local authority as it is preventing her investing in community facility
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM! FREE PARKING Open: 10am - 5.00pm CLOSED SUNDAY
22 Sefton Street · Litherland L21 7LB Tel: 0151 345 6154
INSIDE THIS WEEK...
Restaurant and offices plan for showroom site
Stadium revamp to be unveiled CROSSWORD See Page 28
GREAT DEALS ON BEDS! All Sizes • All Colours • All Fabrics MATTRESS SPECIALISTS HUGE RANGE OF QUALITY MATTRESSES IN STORE COME & TRY FOR YOURSELF RSELF
NEW EXPANDED SHOWROOM!
FREE PARKING
THE UK’S LARGEST LETTERBOX CIRCULATION BY AN INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER! 164,579
CHAMPION SERIES
JAN-DEC 2018 100% FREE