Merseyside's 19th-century Thornton Manor, a historic landmark and wedding venue, faces an uncertain future after a devastating fire in 2022. The blaze, sparked by an electrical fault, caused extensive damage, leaving sections of the property in ruins. The restoration costs are estimated to be £20 million or more, according to estate director Philip Cowan, who is determined to save the manor despite the challenges. The fire has led to a significant drop in business, with revenue plummeting by approximately 80%. To address this, the estate's management has lodged a planning submission with the council, seeking permission to restore three event marquees, including one capable of accommodating 1,000 guests. These structures are vital for generating revenue to secure the building's long-term future. However, legal letters have been dispatched to Wirral Council by the proprietors, warning that refusing planning consent would place the manor at a 'serious and imminent risk of further deterioration or even ultimate loss'. The estate's legal representatives at Gunner Cooke LLP have identified 'a number of procedural and substantive issues' requiring 'urgent attention and correction'. These concerns include delays in processing, insufficient transparency, and the council's resistance to meeting with them. The legal team has demanded that councillors make the final decision on the application, warning of potential reputational damage to the council if the procedural history were to become public. The estate's planning consultants at P4 Planning argue that the circumstances have fundamentally shifted since the 2022 blaze, emphasizing the need for an emergency rescue mission for a Grade II asset in active decay. They suggest that rejecting the application would simply transfer the restoration burden to a future scenario where the council might be legally obligated to intervene at a site with no viable income stream remaining. A Wirral Council spokesman assured that the matter would be handled through appropriate procedures.
