City Council rules out forcing jailed owner to restore the Dance Academy
THE FUTURE of an iconic Union Street landmark remains in limbo after council chiefs today ruled out trying to force its controversial owner to restore it.
Last week The Herald revealed that Manoucehr Bahmanzadeh, jailed in 2008 for nine years for allowing the sale of Class A drugs, has not sold the Grade II* listed Dance Academy building to pay his Proceeds of Crime Act bill.
However, a legal wrangle between the Crown Prosecution Service and the State of Jersey's Attorney General's Office has seen Bahmanzadeh's Jersey accounts frozen and the £1million crime bill left unpaid.
Oliver Colvile, Tory MP for Sutton and Devonport, met representatives of English Heritage (EH), earlier this year to discuss the building, which is on EH's 'Heritage at Risk' register, the at-risk register of the Theatres Trust, and was named as one of the 10 most endangered Victorian or Edwardian buildings in England and Wales by the Victorian Society.
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It is understood EH would offer to underwrite 80 per cent of the cost of repair if Plymouth City Council served a repair notice or urgent works notice to make the building watertight.
But the council has scotched the idea saying it must "prioritise the way it spends council tax payers' money".
The spokesman said: "Spending vital funds on a building we do not own and have no specific use for is not the answer."
The spokesman said that "under normal circumstances" the building would be an obvious candidate for Section 215 Untidy Land Action.
However, this had to be balanced by "the practical and financial implications of taking legal action against the owner who is serving a long-term jail sentence."
The spokesman said: "The likelihood of him [Bahmanzadeh] complying with this sort of legal action, with a maximum penalty on conviction of £1,000 for non-compliance, is small and without his co-operation the council would inevitably be forced into a position of carrying out potentially very expensive repairs entirely at the taxpayers' expense.
"Because of the extent of deterioration of the building, an Urgent Works Notice would also be extremely costly for a building like the Palace Theatre and while English Heritage may be willing to fund 80 per cent of the cost, that leaves at least 20 per cent of the costs to be found from somewhere."
The single ray of light was for "anyone seeking advice on securing a viable and sustainable future for the building".
If some benefactor came forward who was able to buy the building off Bahmanzadeh then the council said it would "use the positive provisions of the Millbay Area Action Plan to support a deliverable restoration project."
Comment: Page 10
Comments
by Supersam75
Wednesday, May 09 2012, 7:15PM
“This building should be treasured and i know lots of people would love and pay to see it returned to its former glory, I am a plymouth tax payer and would not object to my taxes being used to restore our heritage, I often look at new modern building and we should chresish the architecture of all generations and not just bulldoze and move on! The millbay regeneration project is doing some great work but helping to save this building would bring the community together and restore faith in our heritage.”
by t, west hoe
Tuesday, April 12 2011, 12:16AM
“hilarious. assume the council just thought they could do a compulsory purchase/proceeds of crime seize and get on with the millbay plan. oooops! not working out then? i hope mr dance academy is having a good laugh about this. i wouldn't sell it to them for all the tea in china if i was him.
i am the most anti drugs person ever but even i can see they set him up to get the building back - this saga has become ridiculous now and makes pcc look like bumbling, corrupt fools.”
by St.George, England
Monday, April 11 2011, 9:05PM
“I thought it would have come under assets of crime through one loophole or another and the building could be bought at auction oh well..
Surely with its graded standing there as to be a legal obligation to to keep the building in best condition.
Another bit of Plymouth's history and heritage in ruins,,, at least we are good at this. Very good.
Maybe we could ask Brussels for a few million to preserve the building, and if it could be turned back into a working theatre/ arts dance acedemy. Our youngsters who wish to be dancers ect will not have their families forking out thousands of pounds a year for their children to move to London to learn the skills> more cash that goes out of the city>”
by ian, Plymouth
Monday, April 11 2011, 8:35PM
“Can`t we just apply to the United Nations and ask for just one air strike against it one tommahawk! I don`t care if it is an Edwardian master piece if so for goodness sake get it repaired and use it for something year on year it sits there falling further into decay and costing more and more to restore. Flatten it and be done with it. Spend taxes on something useful.”
by Danique Barton, Plympton
Monday, April 11 2011, 8:23PM
“Hermes (and Thelemia,) What a fantastic world you inhabit. It's something akin to the reality I come from. Yes, I've seen how some "ladies" wear their hems today although I think the term "ladies" is somewhat a misnomer.
A pair of stockings is a must said she,
To go to the dance and perchance meet ¿he¿
But they are at a cost they don¿t come free,
If he knew what I did would he still want me?
What was once veiled is now for all to see,
The days of style and taste are now long gone,
To be seen bare legged was then thought wrong,
Now their language is so strong,
Cussing and swearing as they totter along,
The caring and sensitive don¿t here belong.”
by jolly roger, devon
Monday, April 11 2011, 7:29PM
“I like you, Hermes (and Thelemia)”
by Hermes (and Thelemia), Plymouth
Monday, April 11 2011, 7:15PM
“I remember a hall way in a building which was no known temple in any one mind.
Yet in all times did all dance freely in fun and all wisdom in each other freedom.
An art which though described, inscribed, and painted on wall outside and in.
There was a place where my star light returned to each when once week. Eden.
Dance, my friend, for tomorrow the sun arises again.
Yes, brother, dancing.
Golden Dawn
At least on a Saturday night I could drive my daughter to a decent club where she would meet with her friends and have fun in safety. Even if she had a date. I know the music sounds weird by my standards, yet what I listened to in my day apparently sounds off-key to them. Anyway, funny old world, isn't it my friend. Yeah, apparently there was somewhere to eat near too, so she didn't end-up wondering around the streets all night. I mean, have you seen how some of these ladies where their hems today?”
by Dick Barton, Plymouth
Monday, April 11 2011, 7:10PM
“Carol, to answer you question "What does anybody see in such a run down area?" It's nothing, they are usually smacked up to the eyeballs and everything a blur!”
by chris, sutton harbour
Monday, April 11 2011, 6:46PM
“What the Hereald has not made very clear is that English Heritage will only 80% of the cost to make the building watertight with PCC paying the other 20%. This will only make the building dry and full renivation costs would be on top of that. Also, PCC would still not own the building. Whilst sad to see the building deteriorate, I for one would not like to see my hard earned council tax being spent on something PCC do not own. For once, I think PCC has made a sensible descision.”
by stuart, plymouth
Monday, April 11 2011, 6:30PM
“Carol....i agree Union St is a dump,but by renovating what could be a stunning building like this,it could be the foundation for a new upmarket Union St.Have you seen the ceramics o this building,?!its not grade 2 listed for no reason.Now the building that DOES need tearing down is the civic centre,but thanks to English Heritage that wont be happening any time soon”