Public Inquiry Main Players

Objectors to the Plans

It's Our City (IOC)

IOC is a local group of residents of Lancaster who are concerned at the prospect of our city suffering irreparable damage to it's environment and the local economy. Our views have been consistently ignored by a council that has no regard for their own policies or the electorate. We also speak for the many visitors who have commented on the unique character of Lancaster compared to the multitude of 'clone towns' left in the wake of developments like the one proposed.

National Heritage Organisation SAVE

SAVE (SAVE Britain's Heritage) have objected strongly to the Centros plans and architect Ptolemy Dean appeared on TV painting an inspiring picture of Lancaster's unique potential as a historic city. SAVE have also produced an E-Report " A Lament for Lancaster " made up of slides and commentary which shows the buildings we are set to lose.

English Heritage

English Heritage have been unhappy from the start at the way the historic fabric of this part of the city is being treated by the Centros plans and believe that they will irreversibly damage the city if the plans go ahead as this Lancaster Guardian report calling for a public inquiry explains.

Lancaster's historic fabric gives us a tremendous potential for tourism which will be irreparably damaged by the Centros development.

Supporters of the Plans

Centros

The developers Centros are modern day carpetbaggers backed by privately funded property company Delancey which is largely unaffected by the credit-crunch. Delancey in turn is backed by financial speculator George Soros, dubbed "the man who broke the Bank of England" after making £1 billion on the devaluation of sterling in 1992. Despite claiming that their development plans 'stand on their own merit', Centros have refused to defend their own plans at the inquiry claiming it would cost them up to £1 million to do so. Instead they are relying on their friends in the council to squander local taxpayers money to do it for them.

Lancaster City Council

Our Council has shown no interest in meeting the aspirations of Lancastrians during the so-called consultation phase on the development plans as government guidelines require them to do. The ineptitude and secrecy demonstrated by council officers and the ignorance and disinterest shown by councillors towards the people who elected them has painted a picture of a council in a state of severe moral turpitude.