Liverpool Council spent £15,000 in legal fees to figure out whether a zip wire to the roof of a city centre landmark was possible - before Mayor Joe Anderson removed support for it yesterday.
Adventure company Zip World received permission from the council's planning committee to run a zip wire from St John's Beacon to the roof of Liverpool's Central Library earlier this year.
The proposal quickly caused a storm of opposition among architects, conservationists and city centre residents, who said it would lead to the "disneyfication" of the city.
Mayor Joe Anderson, who does not have the power to overturn planning committee decisions but does have the ultimate say on the use of council buildings, pulled his permission for the zip wire to land on Central Library's roof yesterday, saying he had "serious concerns" about the use of the landmark for such an activity.
Now, a recording on a public contract portal reveals the council itself was exploring the legal ramifications of a zip wire to the roof of the library as early as 2018.
The portal shows that the council's community services directorate ordered London law firm DAC Beachcroft to provide legal advice on whether such a scheme was possible at the end of 2018 at a cost of £15,000.
Liverpool Council has been approached for comment about the payment, which was for six months of work.
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Zip World made its application for the city centre zip wire after DAC Beachcroft's work concluded and received permission for it earlier in the summer.
Following the mayor's withdrawal of support, Zip World said it would look to find another location within Liverpool for the attraction and said it remained committed to the city.
