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Theatre group fails in compensation bid

Susannah Wright
24/ 7/2008

A BID to compensate a drama group for the loss of their theatre is set to fail.

The Northenden Players had used the Boat House as a theatre for 51 years until last year. But they were turfed out of the premises on Boat Lane, Northenden, when the owners, the Britannia Property Group, decided to put it up for sale.

The new owners - thought to be private investors - want to turn the historic building into three new houses with an extension at the back and car park spaces at the front.

The Wythenshawe Area Committee is due to hear the planning application on Thursday, July 24, and had asked the developers to put forward some Section 106 money as compensation for the amateur dramatic group.

But the developers have refused and the council’s head of planning has said it would be difficult to force them to hand over money as any such money would effectively go to the privately-run Northenden Players rather than a community-wide group.

Northenden councillor Richard Cowell, who also sits on the Wythenshawe Area Committee, said: "I am disappointed that Section 106 is unlikely to be determined for the Northenden Players who lost their home last year.

"It would have been nice for them to get some money to support their future following from what has been a difficult time for them."

The Northenden Players began using the Boat House, which is next to the former Tatton Arms on the banks of the River Mersey, as their theatre in 1956. They were told last year that their lease would not be renewed and were told to take out the stage and all their equipment.

They managed to find a new home at the Methodist Church hall on Victoria Road, and now rehearse and put on shows six times a year there.

John Wheatley is the chairman of the Northenden Players. He said: "It was sad for us and annoying that we had to leave the Boat House and it would have been nice if they could have offered us some kind of facility by way of compensation.

"We have also had to pay rent on the Boat House until the end of our lease at the end of June, so that makes it especially hard for us.

"But unfortunately, we have had to draw a line under the matter and get on with our move to the Methodist Church as we don't have the power to fight the developers."

Manchester City Council has received four letters of objection to the development on the grounds that it might create parking problems, that it might overlook neighbouring properties and that there could be a loss of trees.

Awais Shahid, speaking on behalf of the Boat House’s developers, said he had no comment to make about a request to compensate the Northenden Players, but added: "We have worked with the planning department and are fairly confident that it will be approved."