Govt overturns Liverpool rejection of Allerton golf club hotel
The Planning Inspectorate disagreed with the city council’s claim that Green Circle Leisure’s 66-bedroom hotel was not sympathetic or respectful to the area in which it would be built.
Developer Green Circle’s application proposed a four-storey extension to the grade two-listed remains of the 1815 Allerton Manor on the Allerton Manor Golf Club off Alerton Road in Woolton. This extension would house the hotel bedrooms, as well as a basement spa. The hotel itself would total 66,200 sq ft.
Designs by architect Brock Carmichael also include an external terrace, bandstand, car park, and cycle parking area.
Liverpool City Council rejected the project in December 2022 because it was not keeping in character with its surroundings, the Calderstones/Woolton Green Wedge. A listed building application was also rejected because of the impact the extension would have on the historic manor house. Both decisions were in line with officer recommendation.
The four-storey extension will contain hotel rooms and allow for a basement spa. Credit: Brock Carmichael
In the planning inspector John Braithwaite’s decision, he disputed both arguments. He wrote that the extension would “complement its surroundings and would be sympathetic to the character of the area”.
Braithwaite also noted that the listing of the manor remains was done in 1975 – decades after most of the manor had been destroyed in a fire. Therefore, he said, there was no need for future development to try and replicate the old manor as the listing was for what remained.
The proposed modern extension would allow the listed building to be prominent and, by bringing the building back into use, would help with preservation efforts and thus “would preserve the architectural and historic interest, and significance, of the listed building”, he wrote.
The inspector’s examination of the case did not take long – with a verdict coming less than a month after the inquiry was held on the week of 12 December.
Planning consultant Roman Summer Associates guided Green Circle’s application process. Firm director Richard Gee described the inspector’s decision as “welcome but unsurprising”.
“The original refusal was based very much on subjective perception rather than objective planning policy grounds,” Gee said.
“Green Circle brought together a highly experienced professional team to do justice to this unique site, and their approach has been completely vindicated.”
Brock Carmichael partner John Cassell added: “It is particularly reassuring that His Majesty’s Planning Inspectorate’s viewpoint and his expert decision echoes almost word for word Brock Carmichael’s original design statement and justification for the scale and disposition of the proposal, plus the use of a glass façade in a woodland setting.
“By following due process, in this instance, it has enabled us to raise the design bar for our beloved city.”
Liverpool City Council has been approached for comment.
Also approved – but this time, without the appeal – Green Circle’s plans to revamp the golf course. Credit: via Outlier
The Planning Inspectorate verdict was not the only good news for Green Circle this week, with the company stating that it had also been granted planning permission from Liverpool City Council to move forward with its plans to improve the golf course, add a new clubhouse, and create an adventure golf attraction.
Between the two planning approvals, Green Circle managing director Mike Hanlon said the project would create approximately 200 local jobs during the construction phase, and more than 120 when the golf course and hotel were in operation.
“Our objective is to reposition Allerton Manor into one of the region’s premier publicly accessible golf and family leisure destinations, and these two planning permissions will now enable us to deliver that vision,” Hanlon said.
You can learn more about the Planning Inspectorate’s decision by searching 21F/2913 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal and appeal reference number APP/Z4310/W/23/3323985 on the Planning Inspectorate’s appeals casework portal.
For more on the work to be done to the golf course itself, search 22F/3396 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.
Good
By Liverpool4Progress
Surprised that the Inspector didnt see that a 4 storey building looming less than 3m from the edge of the primary public right of way through the Calderstones/Woolton Green Wedge clearly constitutes a loss of openness. And quite how he decided that a shiny glass box with a severe roof-line is sympathetic to the character of the area, with its heritage of sandstone from Woolton quarries is, frankly, beyond me. Disappointing.
By Larch
Excellent news for a company that is trying to succeed in the modern world only to be held back by a section of narrow minded locals and a planning committee stuffed with vision less, anti business councillors hiding behind a camouflage of being concerned about tradition and architectural purity.
Looking forward to seeing this built and being utilised by an open minded clientele not afraid of something different.
By Anonymous
Great news. This has been going on for years
By Anonymous
A excellent defeat for the chimney sweeps bottle washers and wheel tappers councillors.
The creation of the the jobs is fantastic, however the above local politicians would rather desecrate the Saint George ‘s Hall with a ridiculous temporary fairground.
Well done, ond prosperity to the developer.
By Anonymous
A good development in a great location with lots of scope for job creation at a time when it’s particularly needed. Can we now have an end to politically-motivated planning decisions, Cllr Robinson?
By Anonymous
Delighted with this. Yet again the flat earth society , sorry LCC has caused an unnecessary loss of time and additional costs for a worth while that was supported by the vast majority . The lack of real world experience within the council is frightening its shameful that a worthwhile project such as this has to go to the Inspectorate , its also symptomatic of how our city is being held back.
By Paul M - Woolton
Would be great if the commissioners could take control of planning because this council for some reason doesn’t want the city to be successful.
By Simon Clark
Despite being a “Progressive City” Liverpool and it’s politicians still haven’t moved on from the 1980s. Look at Manchester it’s Progressive, outward looking and booming.
By Paul84
LCC are the real enemy of Liverpool not the Government when will people realise.
By Anonymous
Good hope the Government take over the planning department or call it in for investigation because it needs it they are inadequate
By Anonymous
Who will Liverpool Labour blame when the Tories are out of power later this year. Manchester is Labour run but it’s full of cranes and investment.
By Brian
I’m very glad Liverpool is so conservative, Manchester’s so called progressivism will be it’s downfall.
By Gilly
@ Larch Jan 8 ,have you seen the shiny glass pyramid entrance in the middle of the piazza at the historic Louvre Museum in Paris, yes it’s different and modern looking, and people positively accept it.
By Anonymous
Agree with Gilly and LCC: The new build element to this is awful and inappropriate.
By Heritage Action
Liverpool could be full of skyscrapers down the mersey and lots of investment and regeneration in the whole city but for some reason the jobsworth planning committee want to stop the city from prospering and moving forward there was zero interest and investment in Liverpool for 40 years now people want to invest and grow the city and move it forward and they’re being told no they can’t invest and build anything it’s ludicrous
By Jimmy jackson
Well hopefully will bring some prosperity to the area – albeit I think the new hotel could have been more in keeping with the old more of a nod to it.
You need to get your road sweepers out Mike on Menlove Avenue and Hillfoot as its caked in mud from the muck shifting going on for the new golf extravaganza……. please.
By Bob Dawson
Sounds like the planner has been kidded somewhat here, if he thinks the building was currently derelict
Did he actually visit?
If he had he would realise the building has been in full use for a number of years
How ANYONE could think that square box was in keeping in any way whatsoever with what is already there is extraordinary!
By David
It’s too high, it’ll put me bungalow in the shade.
By Roy
So @ Gilly, when do you see Manchester’s downfall? As I don’t see any sign of it for some time, and all I see is a boomtown attracting business, people, and investment.
Liverpool meanwhile seeks to fight-off the achievers, investors, and the like, in favour of the socialist dream……Pride before a fall?
By Anonymous
Glad this is moving forward, not a massive fan of the realised design, but conceptually a mirrored box is the right move here.
By Anonymous
I’m sure you are Gilly, but then so much investment can be a hard pill to swallow sometimes for some.
By Anonymous
You can argue about the merits of the architecture – each to his own – but the continuing redevelopment of a what was a very rundown golf course with a fire-ruined building as its centrepiece should be applauded.
By Ian Jones
In a “Conservation Area”…and a “Grade II Listed Building”!!!!!!!!!
By Anonymous
Disgrace. Who in their right mind thinks this is in keeping with the classical building?
By Paul f
The Councils decision should be sustained to ensure the City retains its position as guardian of our inheritance
By Steven Perkins
It’s no worse that Everton’s stadium, which lost is world heritage status
By Anonymous
The City Council, “Guardian of our inheritance”, is that a joke? Look around the city and see thousands of the most boring , suburban, semi-detached houses, totally unsuitable for a city like Liverpool which demolished acres of classical houses and destroyed other architectural gems in the name of progress. The best housing I’ve seen lately is that proposed at Grove Street, meanwhile the golf course owners have tried to find a compromise with the planners on this one and have been baulked at every turn.
By Anonymous
Why is so much rubble and other stuff being dumped on Allerton Golf course, this is constant each day every day 5days a week. This is not a tip but part of the green wedge.
By Anonymous