Former George Henry Lee building to become luxury hotel
Liverpool City Council’s planning committee did not snooze on Landlab Development’s pitch to convert the old department store into a 175-bed Accor hotel.
Councillors voted to approve the application on Tuesday, a decision that was in line with officer recommendation.
The 20-48 Basnett Street building has a rich history in the Liverpool retail scene. The building was constructed in the late 1800s as a George Henry Lee department store. In the 1940s, it became a John Lewis. Today, its ground floor is a Poundland.
Designs show how the former George Henry Lee building will be transformed into a hotel. Credit: via planning documents
Landlab’s vision for the historic building’s future would see it be run by French hospitality company Accor. It is understood that Accor will operate the hotel as part of its Mama Shelter brand, which is described as “sassy and flamboyant” on its website. In addition to the 175 bedrooms, the designs by architect Curious include a ground-floor bar and restaurant, a seventh-floor terrace, and a sixth-floor sky bar and restaurant.
Of those 175 approved bedrooms, 5% would be wheelchair accessible and another 5% would be suitable for those with additional mobility needs.
Roman Sumner Associates is the planning consultant on the scheme.
Learn more about the scheme by searching application reference number 23F/1800 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.
As the standout on a very thin agenda it’s refreshing to see this application has been given approval. Poundland are due to move out soon so fingers crossed for a prompt start on site and show the developers intentions.
We all know the Williamson Square area needs a major overhaul and hope this is just the start of it.
By Anonymous
Good news. This area of town along with Lord Street and Church Street are facing some challenging times.
By Anonymous
Good news again for the Hotel sector in Liverpool 10,000 rooms surely available in the City Centre vert soon?
By Liverpool4Progress
Another disappointment planning agenda. What are the commissioners actually doing, they need to get things moving quicker.
By Paul87
@Paul87, yes only 3 items to discuss on the planning agenda , so what is holding things up, are they getting no applications or things just taking too long to process.
Yesterday we saw the Carpenter Development for Kings Dock Street get resubmitted with only 13 floors when originally they wanted 15, so clearly the planners are still playing hardball.
By Anonymous
Did not snooze
How amusing 😂
By Anon
What will happen to the Beautiful Mahogany Entrance Doors and Paneling..
By John Lynn
Where will you park?
By Paul
Parking 7.47am, there are car parks at the bottom of St John’s Lane or Victoria St, we have many hotels without parking and people will just have to cope.
By Anonymous