Liverpool greenlights Goodison Park regen, fire ‘super-station’
Unfortunately for Elliot Group’s Falkner Street Developments, its apartment and student-living project off Falkner Street hit a red light once again.
The decisions were made at Liverpool City Council’s planning committee meeting on Tuesday.
Goodison Park
Everton can proceed with its plans to demolish its stadium site when the new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock is complete. In its place, the football club has permission to build up to 173 homes, a 63,100 sq ft care home, a 107,620 sq ft community space, 51,000 sq ft of offices, and 8,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space.
The proposal is an outline application, with more details to be submitted for council approval at a later date.
Everton is aiming for a start date of 2024, with a completion date set for 2028.
The application had previously been approved by the council in February last year, subject to a S106 agreement. That agreement has not yet been signed, and thus led the council to reconsider the application in the light of its new local plan.
CBRE is the planning consultant for the scheme, which was designed by Condy Lofthouse Architects and Planit-IE.
The application’s reference number with Liverpool City Council is 20O/0997.
Ryder Architecture designed the Long Lane station. Credit: via planning documents
Former Commercial Hydraulics Site
A souped-up fire station with an academy and training facility is coming to Long Lane in Fazakerley after Liverpool City Council approved plans from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.
The application had been recommended for approval by planning officers.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service called the complex a ‘super-station’. It will act as the base for the crews of the Aintree and Croxteth fire stations, which will close when the new building is finished.
Wates is lined up to build the 53,000 sq ft facility, which was designed by Ryder Architecture.
Dave Saville, Wates Construction North West’s regional director, voiced his enthusiasm for the project.
“This super-station represents new, modern facilities that equal a better working environment for our region’s firefighters, allow for more complex training scenarios, and ultimately, support fire teams in providing the best possible service for their communities,” he said.
“We have a long history working with Merseyside Fire & Rescue Authority in upgrading their infrastructure and have previously delivered new stations at St. Helens, Saughall Massie, and Prescot to great success,” Saville continued.
“The positive impact these stations have on the local area is massive and we’re so pleased approval has now been granted so we can bring this latest site to life.”
The project team also includes Curtins, Flinders Chase, Sol Consulting, Rachel Hacking Ecology, and Murray Tree Consulting.
The application’s reference number with Liverpool City Council is 21F/3635.
Elliot Group had hoped to build the resi scheme on the corner of Falkner Street and Crown Street in Liverpool. Credit: via planning documents
180 Falkner Street
Liverpool City Council remained firm in its opposition to plans to build 105 apartments and 63 student homes on the site of the old Liverpool Community Probation Centre.
The council had rejected the scheme during its April planning meeting. Council policy dictated that because the scheme was recommended for approval by planning officers, it had to go before the committee again for the council to reaffirm its position.
Since the initial refusal, Legacie Developments had publicised its intent to purchase the scheme from the Elliot Group company Falkner Street Developments.
“We have agreed a deal to purchase the site, subject to planning permission being received, from the previous owner and have put forward a new vision,” said Legacie managing director Gavin Currie.
Aside from the future developer of the site, no other changes to the application had been made since the refusal.
On Tuesday, the council once again rejected the proposal due to a lack of parking. Another reason was centred around potential noise and disturbance to neighbours and residents due to the close proximity of the student and non-student housing.
Legacie did not have a comment on the project’s refusal.
Elliot Group founder Elliot Lawless said he had instructed his team to begin work on appealing the decision. “I am advised by my planning team that we have a very strong case,” he said.
Zerum is the planning consultant for the scheme, which was designed by Falconer Chester Hall Architects.
The project team includes Hydrock, Clancy Consulting, DEP Landscape Architecture, and Wardell Armstrong.
The application’s reference number with Liverpool is 19F/2515.
Glad Elliot Group are appealing that decision. That’s a great looking scheme and seems well suited to the area given the existing mix of residential and student housing on Crown Street and in the wider area. If I were a bookie I wouldn’t give the Elliot Group long odds on winning their appeal.
By Anonymous
Another maverick decision by Liverpool City councillors flying in the face of the planning officer`s recommendation to allow this scheme to proceed, it`s the same old story of they don`t like students, not enough parking, fear of noise nuisance etc etc. The site is already blighted by fly-tipping and anti-social youths but the local neanderthals think they know best, they don`t want progress or variety just the status quo, they are hurting the city due to their low aspirations.
This scheme is an attractive build and Legacie a proven developer, no wonder the city is treading water and investors wary.
By Anonymous
Liverpool, where planning is done by appeal.
This mentality of the Council’s planning officers and committee members being the gatekeepers of the city and saving it from developers has to stop. The planning department and committee are there to facilitate sustainable development. Instead we have the kind of NIMBY small mindedness you expect from rural affluent villages.
By Anonymous