Failure for Allerton Manor expansion bid
Proposals to extend the redevelopment of the Liverpool golf club’s listed centrepiece have been refused.
A £15m project for the overhaul of the club was approved in September 2020, but within a year had been described as unviable by applicant Green Circle/Allerton Golf Trading.
In refreshed plans by incoming architect Brock Carmichael, the size of the four-star hotel within the scheme was more than doubled, going from a 31-bedroom boutique offer to a 66-bedroom hotel. Roman Summer is the planning advisor.
The project would entail a four-storey extension above the grade two-listed manor house building.
Other elements of the scheme put forward for the Allerton Road, Woolton site include a new clubhouse, adventure golf facilities and a reconfiguration of the course to championship standard.
The clubhouse has now been extended and refurbished, to include a golf shop, café and first floor function space, while a first phase of works within the manor house has seen the reopening of Fletcher’s Bar.
Liverpool City Council’s planning team had recommended refusal, saying the revised scheme is “not sympathetic or respectful to the character of this part of the designated Calderstones/ Woolton Green Wedge”.
According to planning officers, the scale, massing, height and architectural language of the hotel “fail to conserve the significance of the designated heritage assets”. LCC sold the site in 2014.
An application to refurbish the exterior of the manor house was rejected along with the hotel expansion. However, an application for a temporary marquee at the course, to host special events and house extra dining space, was approved.
The LCC planning portal reference for the project is 21F/2913.
The correct decision in my eyes. Absolutely and truly hideous.
I’d now suggest that the club put this proposal out to a design competition – and a strikingly, distinctive and beautiful extension proposal taken forward.
By SW
Good, that looks dreadful!
By Heritage Action
LCC esteemed planning team strikes again. Anti-development anti-growth.
By New Wave
How can it be judged “dreadful” or “hideous” from a CGI, this venture wants to create a country club/hotel vibe but maybe don`t have endless pots of mone. To try anything remotely daring design-wise would cause even more uproar, and shock , horror it`s also too high.
Of course we can`t go off piste or we`ll upset the heritage lot as well, can we ever move forward and stop living in the past.
By Anonymous
For all the criticism levied in their direction – for once this is absolutely the correct decision! New Wave – totally agree with being pro-development and pro-growth, but not at any cost. This is the most outrageously bad proposal and couldn’t be more out of keeping with the existing building. The architects should have seen this decision coming a mile away – ultimately a waste of a planning process where plenty of others with long-awaited updates / decisions could have benefitted.
By Anonymous
If ever there was a part of Liverpool that can afford to pay for higher quality architecture – and is willing to do so – it’s this one. I think the developers have mis-read both the demographic of the area and the politics, too. The architects involved know this part of the parish very well indeed and no doubt tried to steer the client, but clearly to no avail. What a pity.
By Sceptical
Appreciate that design is often subjective, so taking that aside, surely the conflict with planning policy was evident from the beginning. I assume the team understood it was likely to be refused and decided to proceed so they could test it on appeal.
By Anonymous
I normally criticise the councils planners …but on this occasion a correct decision an opportunity to add to classic ground floor and in a country house setting demands something’ far better than this proposal.
By George