98 homes at former Alder Hey site up for approval

Step Places is working with McCarthy Stone and the HBV Group on the scheme earmarked for Springfield Gardens off Alder Road in Knotty Ash, Liverpool.

The development has been recommended for approval when Liverpool City Council’s planning committee meets next Tuesday, 23 April.

Three years ago, Step Places secured permission for nine development plots at the former Alder Hey Children’s Hospital site, but plots one and two have since been sold back to the NHS Trust.

This development focuses on the remaining plots, measuring 3.2 acres, and would comprise 59 retirement apartments, 31 dwellings, and up to eight specialist supported housing flats for people with autism. A total of 88 parking spaces would be created with the development

A report to the planning committee includes a raft of objections to the scheme, with Ronald McDonald House concerned about the proximity of the proposed development to its building and the possibility of some of the charity’s rooms being overlooked.

These concerns are addressed in the planning officer report published ahead of the meeting that says the application site is within a primarily residential area and such use for the site is deemed appropriate.

The report, recommending approval, states: “The proposed development would be configured such that it would not result in any significant loss of amenity for existing occupiers of the area and would provide an acceptable standard of amenity for the future building occupiers.

“It is considered that the proposal offers a high-quality residential scheme that would lead to the redevelopment of a brownfield site, improving the built environment, and as such would be a regeneration to the local area.”

The project team includes Gerald Eve, BDP, E3P, Redmore Environmental, LK Group, QED, Civic, Hydrock, RJD Associates Box Architects and Aca.

To view the application, search for reference number 23F/1905 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.