[BITList] Lightship PLANET

[michael J Feltham]

Mersey Bar Lightship Planet SOLD by Canal & River Trust

News from Chantelle Seaborn, Canal & River Trust North West Manager, that C&RT has finally sold the Mersey Bar light vessel Planet, after seizing it in lieu of £10,000 unpaid mooring debts over four years at Canning Dock, Strand, Liverpool. Ms Seaborn said Planet has been sold to someone who plans its restoration prior to resale. There were no offers from potential Liverpool-based buyers. The new owner has no plans to return Planet to Liverpool or Merseyside and the lightship currently remains 'in store' at C&RT's Sharpness Dock, Gloucester.

NB Planet former owner Alan Roberts claims he has since paid off the £10,000 debt. The cost of removing Planet from Liverpool to Gloucester is alleged to have been £56,000.

Peter Elson, Merseyside Civic Society (MCS) spokesperson, said:
"The loss of the world famous Mersey Bar lightship Planet is an absolute disaster for Liverpool and its World Heritage Site, which was awarded by UNESCO for its mercantile seaport status.
"The lightship Planet is the most important historic Liverpool and Merseyside ship afloat and Canal & River Trust has failed to honour its earlier indication, made at a senior management level to the MCS, that the vessel would be returned here.
"The Canal & River Trust is a rich, powerful, government-aided organisation which owns Canning and Albert Dock waters, in Liverpool, and has taken possession of Planet in lieu of an outstanding debt.
"So in spite of C&RT now owning all the elements in this sorry saga, it has created this lamentable situation of Liverpool losing Planet by removing the lightship hundreds of miles away from its Canning Dock berth to Gloucester. Therefore should C&RT have been responsible for returning Planet to its homeport?
"Liverpool has few historic ships given its incredible status as the former second city and first seaport of the British Empire. The late Capt Robin Woodall, former commander of Cunard Line flagship QE2, called Planet 'The lantern on Liverpool's front door, recognised by seafarers the world over'.

"Now it seems the Mersey has lost this light forever due to the ill-conceived actions of C&RT and all those involved. Way before C&RT existed Planet was included by Merseyside Development Corp in its plans for the Albert Dock complex regeneration and now all those good intentions have been destroyed." Jonathan Brown, of Liverpool website Share the City, who worked on the MCS Save the Planet campaign, said:
"Liverpool has been badly let down by the Canal & River Trust, which gave us assurances that Liverpool would be returned here. In fact, Planet should never been taken away, so why was it not returned?" "Liverpool's defining artwork of European Capital of Culture 2008 by Ben Johnson included the Planet lightship in his panoramic cityscape and now thanks to C&RT the vessel is gone. C&RT has taken the ship, but not taken responsibility for their actions. They say this is a gain, but it's a huge loss for Liverpool."
Jean Grant, Merseyside Civic Society Chair said :
“Our wonderful UNESCO world heritage site status is due to our continuous development of merchant shipping. Liverpool has a living history of merchant shipping, from the small sailships of our first dock, to the enormous modern structures Peel have recently built to welcome vast container ships delivering goods from across the world. The Liverpool Planet is essential to this history and we invite all involved in our Liverpool mercantile heritage; Museums, Cunard, the City Council, Peel Holdings, to get together and bring the Planet home. Between them all, the cost would be relatively small, and the cultural, historical and social value we would retain would be enormous." http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/mersey-bar-lightship-planet-being-12873297 _____________________________________________________________________________________

 
 
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