Baltic block and Carnatic Halls on 337-home Liverpool docket

Ascot Luxury Living will try again for consent after its £50m redevelopment of the former Bogan’s carpet site was deferred in June, while Bellway and the University of Liverpool hope to get permission to build a neighbourhood on the now-vacant Carnatic Halls of Residence site.

The two applications, both recommended for approval, will be put to Liverpool City Council’s planning committee next week.

Bogan’s Carpet Warehouse

Ascot Luxury Living’s £50m redevelopment of the single-storey Bogan’s carpet warehouse into a nine to 10-storey block hosting 194 apartments has returned to the desks of the city council’s planning committee after a deferral in June over a lack of affordable housing.

The developer is repeating its bid for planning permission, having undertaken a viability assessment, which it will use to demonstrate that abnormal costs mean 20% affordable housing cannot be delivered at New Bird Street.

Ascot was required to undertake a viability assessment after councillors passed a substantive motion requesting a full report on viability and the failure to provide 20% affordable housing, calling Ascot’s argument “totally unconvincing”.

Ascot rebutted the decision, and in the report presented various scenarios, attempting to illustrate the constraints on the developer and the scheme’s viability.

The viability assessment concluded “the scheme would not be able to bear the costs of any affordable housing”, with Ascot citing “£5m worth of abnormal costs” which hadn’t previously been taken into account.

A separate review by the council’s consultant indicated the legitimate abnormal costs figure was closer to £2m.

Located at the eastern edge of the Baltic Triangle, the Falconer Chester Hall-designed scheme would offer 96 one-bed and 96 two-bed flats, and two two-bed, four-person apartments.

A 4,520 sq ft first floor roof terrace would sit a level above six public-facing commercial units ranging between 1,200 sq ft to 3,800 sq ft, and additional ground floor co-working and meeting space.

The warehouse has stood empty, bar a temporarily licensed gym, since 2006, when Bogan’s relocated to Great Howard Street.

Plans for the scheme were submitted to Liverpool City Council by planner Broadgrove Planning and Development.

Those interested in the application can view it using the planning reference number 16F/2922 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.

The scheme would span 22 acres. Credit: Google Earth

Carnatic Halls of Residence

Bellway Homes and the University of Liverpool want to redevelop the old student halls site into a 143-home neighbourhood.

The housing mix put forward by the applicants would see 15 one- and 50 two-bed apartments installed across five blocks, two in the site’s south eastern corner, and three at the site’s northern edge fronting Carnatic Road.

Across the houses, Bellway would deliver 18 three-bed, 47 four-bed, and 13 five-bed units. Eight units are to be designated as affordable.

The 22-acre site hosted a 55-year-old student halls complex, part of the University of Liverpool’s estate, which closed in 2019.

A fresh access road would be from both Elmswood Road and North Mossley Hill Road.

An area to the west of the site would be reserved as a community woodland.

To view the application, use the planning reference number 23F/2123 in Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.