Littlewoods tops bustling Liverpool planning agenda
A series of sizeable applications have been recommended for approval by Liverpool City Council next week: the Littlewoods Building, Maritime Museum, Cavern Walks, and Stonedale Crescent.
The Littlewoods Building
- Application reference number 23F/2887
An application to transform the Littlewoods Building off Edge Lane in Liverpool has been recommended for approval subject to a section 106 agreement.
Developer Capital&Centric will lead the £70m redevelopment of the 260,000 sq ft Liverpool building into what has been called Hollywood of the North.
Plans include the construction of two sound stages, each measuring approximately 20,400 sq ft with a height of 17m.
Additionally, ancillary office, studio, and workshop spaces will be installed.
A cinema, alongside two bars with outdoor seating, will be erected in the hangar area between the east and west wings.
A façade restoration and window replacements will be carried out, following the demolition of Littlewoods Clock Tower.
The Littlewoods building, a local landmark, was erected in 1938 and has been vacant since 1994.
The north sections of the east and west wings will be developed into commercial office space.
A replacement of the fire-damaged clock tower is in the pipeline.
Capital&Centric had previously been searching for a contractor for the development.
ShedKM is the architect behind the scheme, Planit is advising on landscape, and Avison Young is the planning consultant.
Work on improving the Martin Luther King Building and the adjacent Maritime Museum hopes to start next year. Credit: FCBS
Martin Luther King Building and Maritime Museum
- Application reference numbers 24F-1620 & 24L-1621
National Museums England’s plans for a £58m revamp of the Martin Luther King building, which houses the International Slavery Museum and sits next to the Maritime Museum have been recommended for approval subject to conditions.
The Maritime Museum is housed in the Hartley Pavilion, also on Albert Dock, and will see a roof light installed to increase natural light within its lecture theatre.
The plans include the installation of a 960 sq ft entrance hall for the Martin Luther King building and a 320 sq ft link bridge between the two adjacent buildings.
A key part of these plans will be to improve accessibility for visitors.
Work could start in the spring of 2025. If so, the museums will close while work is completed until at least 2028.
Funds for the scheme come from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios is the main architect on the project team, which also includes The Planning Lab, Buro Happold, The Environment Partnership, AKTII, Atelier Ten, Donald Insall Associates, Sandy Brown, Windtech Consultants, and Ridge.
Greenwood Developments and JSM, together bought the Cavern Walks shopping centre for £7m in 2022. Credit: via MHP Group
Cavern Walks
- Application reference number 24F/0265
Greenwood Developments and JSM have applied to develop 283 hotel suites in the city’s Cavern Quarter.
Cavern Walks, off Harrington Street and Mathew Street in central Liverpool, will see its upper floors converted into 283 hotel suites if councillors follow the planning officer’s recommendation to approve this application.
The original application submitted in October 2022 proposed 149 suites and was approved, however, an updated brief has requested permission to raise the number of suites to 283.
The amendments concern the first through seventh floors only.
Work will also be done to create a reception area, food and beverage area, as well as an entertainment and function room space on the upper ground floor.
Greenwood Developments and JSM together bought the Cavern Walks shopping centre for £7m in 2022.
Having struck a franchise agreement, Greenwood Developments and JSM will see the creation of the 283-bedroom Motto by Hilton hotel.
Stonedale Crescent
- Application reference number 23F/3271
An application submitted by MCAU on behalf of Cobalt Housing to build 45 homes on nearly two acres of land has been recommended for approval subject to a legal agreement.
The site will be redeveloped – both a four and three-storey block will be erected comprising 27 one- and two-bedroom apartments.
It sits off the corner of Stonedale Crescent and Stonebridge Lane.
Additionally, three two-bedroom bungalows, 12 two-bedroom ‘cottage flats’, two five-bed homes, and one three-bedroom house.
For approval to be granted, the applicant will be required to enter a legal agreement stipulating that the applicant must contribute £45,000 in lieu of on-site provision of open space.
50% of this figure will be required before development.
The clock tower was demolished months ago
By Chris
Does the funding exist to not only convert the Littlewoods Buildings but to turn the them into operating studios ?
By TJL
Given that so much public money has gone into the Littlewoods project and the scheme includes extensive landscaping, plus I read there will be educational elements, why is it all subject to a sec 106 agreement, so some penpusher or jobsworth can have their say I suppose.
By Anonymous
On what basis were C&C appointed to deliver TV studios? Surely there are specialist developers who deliver these things and might actually put some of their own cash in and can operate based on experience not a social media account?
By Trevor
Though a bit more substance to this planning agenda let’s not fool ourselves that things are going well.
We have still not seen the Packaged Living scheme on any agenda yet and it’s well over 6 months. Also the TJ Morris/Davos scheme at the top of Duke St has still not got on site as some outstanding issues have not been signed off by planning.
I think it’s time these delays in Liverpool are brought to the Governments attention.
By Anonymous
Penspushers and jobsworths keep this society civil and functional: unlike the more money for me, me, me, types.
By Anonymous
@ Trevor ……leave it to rot then ? Liverpool is a poor cousin of Manchester, Id take all you can get to be honest
By WindyMcWindface
C&C specialise in renovations of old buildings like mills, so ideally suited for the restoration work on the Littlewoods building but not the complex electrical work of TV/Film production or the construction of new sheds for soundstages.
By Watcherzero
@6.40pm, except that the penpushers and jobsworths in Liverpool planning have delayed so many projects with their height restrictions, insistence on buildings blending-in rather than creative design, pretending wasteland is a local park, giving priority to a family of rabbits rather than press on with a much-needed office development. Your reference to “more money, me,me,me ” kind of gives a clue that you don’t support risk taking or profit.
By Anonymous
The point on C&C as development is that to the best of my knowledge, they won’t be bringing capital but just DM services, hence the suggestion that a sector specialist would be more suited to deliver such a scheme. Plenty of companies restore existing buildings, but this scheme will live or die on the longer term success of the operational business in which they have zero experience. Wouldn’t who ever is writing the cheques be interested in this?
By Liftmeup
Re planning delays, still no sign of the Carpenter development on part of the old Wapping Goods Station site even though approved in Jan 24, also the student block on the former ice rink off Myrtle St. nothing happening there either.
By Anonymous
Re Littlewoods, Jimmy Mulville of Top Hat productions, said on Radio 4 that he is looking to use Littlewoods Studios for some of his projects… if that happens great news.
By Anonymous