Liverpool launches consultation for tall buildings policy
The public has until 16 September to share its opinions on the city’s draft tall buildings planning guidance, which Place North West unveiled last month.
The Tall Buildings Supplementary Planning Document draft spotlights six areas as suitable for clusters of tall structures:
- Liverpool Waters
- Commercial District
- Leeds Street/Pall Mall
- Central Station
- Paddington Village
- Southern fringe of Baltic Triangle.
In addition to highlighting potential locations for tall buildings, the SPD also gives guidance on how these schemes should be designed. As currently written, the policy encourages councillors to ensure future tall building projects can demonstrate the following four criteria:
- A clear purpose and role for the tall building to directly support regeneration
- The proposed height is appropriate to the role or function of the locality
- It positively contributes to an area and its scale is appropriate to its surroundings
- The impacts on sensitivities have been fully considered.
Feedback on the SPD can be emailed to liverpoollocalplan@liverpool.gov.uk or at one of two virtual consultation events on 17 August: one between 10am and noon and the other between 2pm and 4pm. Tickets for the virtual events can be secured by emailing the address above.
An in-person event will also be held from 1:30pm to 3:30pm on 8 September at the Cunard Building.
Samantha Campbell, Liverpool City council’s chief planning officer, noted that the draft SPD has “a clear objective to guide the development of tall buildings in a positive and proactive manner”.
She also put the document into context.
She said: “The SPD is part of a suite of placemaking documents, including the newly adopted local plan, which seek to secure the best possible development in terms of location, quality and design to further enhance the very special and unique character of Liverpool.”
After changes are made to the draft SPD based on consultation feedback, a final version will be created. Liverpool City Council’s cabinet will then decide whether or not to adopt the planning document.
Cllr Sarah Doyle, cabinet member for economy and development, described how a future SPD would help the city.
“Liverpool’s skyline is world famous and its development needs to be sensitively handled,” she said. “We need to ensure its historic character and charm are maintained, whilst allowing for economic growth and job creation.”
Doyle noted Liverpool’s past tall buildings have been an “advert for economic prowess” and helped shape its identity.
“We want to ensure our next generation of tall buildings will have a long-term purpose and can instil pride when we look up at them – both for how they look and what they offer,” she said.
Build them at central station for access via transport, commercial district for a work atmosphere, Baltic triangle to encourage more football and be open to tall Grade A office space buildings !
By Liverpool guy
Tall buildings, we can`t even get the smaller ones ! This is just going to further deter developers ,and why are we having a consultation when most people know little about urban planning and design. There has been so much antagonism built up against so called “greedy” developers that this is just a predictable exercise.
Let`s face when people vote in the council elections then they just vote in the same vision-less and anti – development crowd each time, it`s very frustrating and this city is in self destruct .
By Anonymous
Groan
By Tom
Another consultation unbelievable what is happening in Liverpool with this awful council they haven’t got a clue
By Anonymous
What is the agenda of LCC to deter all businesses and investors away from the City? They truly are the biggest Parish council in the country.
By Death by consultation
Liverpool has felt rudderless for a long time. They never seem to get on and actually help deliver things, lots of talk about ambition etc but where are the key strategic sites up to? I’ve worked here for 20 years and it’s very frustrating.
By Simon
‘Sensitively handled’ That’s politician speak for ‘none if we can help it’
By Wirralwanderer
Great idea. Good to see the Council place-making following adoption of its local plan and making progress under the new set up.
By Anonymous
@Anon 12.52pm, place-making, plan, progress? have you looked at the city planning applications over the last 6 months, there are no significant schemes coming forward from developers , Liverpool is stagnating, if it wasn`t for the leisure and tourism sector we`d be struggling, a city of fine buildings built by entrepreneurs but now they`re being strangled.
By Anonymous
Liverpool Councillor’s don’t have any acumen when it comes to promoting the City to investors. They just want to build proverbial brick walls and deter such investors. I don’t have any faith in the City any more. It’s just a back water town in the shadow of a city who’s leaders know how promote and attract business, investment & jobs. Yes I am talking about Manchester.
By Stephen Hart
The problem isn’t the city it’s the Council and it’s leadership they are incapable and the problem this city is facing , developers are having to fight their case in court rooms to deliver
seriously it’s that bad the people of Liverpool want change but unfortunately the council are 1000 years behind every other city
By Anonymous
We don’t know what where doing and haven’t got a clue how to develop a city ? oh i know what we will do we will have another long drawn out consultation and ask the people what they want us to do lol
You couldn’t make it up seriously
By Anonymous
This council is inept, they can only make decisions that are agreeable with their supporters and pressure groups they have shown no political leadership on how to run a city and the need to consult and tread carefully every time exposes their immaturity and lack of confidence we cannot continue with these amateurs any longer. Let us hope the electorate see the mess we are in and vote with their brains.
By Liverpolitis
What a joke, be business friendly and proactive with developers and investors. why a 40 storeys limit? aim big and go tall, make the river front better and create more jobs and homes, not just another consultation. Be New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney not a wasteland back water
By BuildItNow
We need more bungalows closer to the city centre and affordable retail
By Anonymous
A great city being hamstrung by nimbys. If Liverpool managed to do what Manchester is doing the NW would really be providing a realistic counterweight to London. The region has such amazing potential, with great history, some stunning old architecture and street layouts, great sports, great countryside. Liverpool is failing massively and it doesn’t need to, it could really be world class if the council actually helped instead of hindered.
From an impartial viewer in Somerset.
By The Squirrel's Nuts
As a City Liverpool needs more Grade A office space,built in to proper high rise office buildings,this is surely needed in the commercial area,and help us to grow,so that businesses will want to come and work and also live in stylish high rise buildings.August 9th 4.40pm.Liverpool John.
By Anonymous
Any new on the outcome
By JB