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A FURIOUS ATTACK on Liverpool’s property developers has been labelled “an affront to democracy” by the city’s business leaders.
Council leader Mike Storey last week hit out at Irish property giant Chieftain saying he didn’t want the company’s money if it was “on the back of threats and blackmailing us”.
He added: “What would people say if a jury was continually being lobbied about its verdict.”
But his comments have been branded as an “affront to democracy” by the business leaders in the city, who claim the current policy on planning is a “shambles”.
Downtown Liverpool In Business Chairman Frank McKenna said: “Since when has lobbying councillors amounted to intimidation?
“Councillors are elected by, and accountable to, the members of public who they serve.
“To suggest that speaking to them is somehow underhand is an affront to democracy and clearly an attempt to deflect attention from the real issue that is Liverpool’s chaotic planning system.”
Mr McKenna believes the city risks losing hundreds of millions of pounds in regeneration unless it does more to understand the needs of private businesses such as Chieftain.
“The developers are doing nothing here which they don’t do in every other major city in the UK but the response they get from the authorities is unbelievable,” said Mr McKenna.
“All they want is to be treated seriously when they talk about investing millions of pounds into the city.
“Instead, they get walls of silence followed by sniping comments like this.”
He added: “Mr Storey might not want money from the private sector but this city’s entire regeneration depends upon it.
“Unless the authorities understand that very soon, the opportunities will have moved on and the people of Liverpool will be left behind.”
Note to editors
For more information, or to arrange an interview with Frank McKenna, call Chris Marritt at Mason Media on 0151 707 4514 or 07908 214950.
