Liverpool Magistrates’ Court conversion up for consent
Belgian firm VSHF Developments wants to redevelop the grade two-listed Dale Street building and neighbouring land into a 111-bedroom hotel.
The scheme will see the court converted, providing 91 bedrooms in the existing building, while a further 20 rooms would be delivered in a new-build, five-storey extension. A bar, restaurant, rooftop terrace, and gym are also proposed.
Liverpool City Council’s planning team has recommended the development be approved when its committee meets next Tuesday.
Cllr Nick Small, the city’s member for growth and economy, has expressed his support for the scheme, stating it will bring a key heritage asset back into use and create footfall on Dale Street.
VSHF lodged plans for the scheme last year four years after plans for a similar project were approved.
The developer, headed up by directors Nathan Van Paesschen and Gregory Spaenjaers, acquired the building from YPG Group for £265,000 in 2022, according to Land Registry.
The project is almost identical to earlier proposals from YPG, approved in 2019.
YPG secured consent to transform the building, vacant since around 2015, into a 90-bedroom hotel but the project did not materialise.
VSHF first became involved in the scheme in 2021, lodging fresh plans to repurpose the former court into a 68-bedroom student accommodation development. The firm then decided to revert back to the hotel idea.
To learn more about the hotel plans, search for reference numbers 23F/2347 and 23L/2434 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.
Broadgrove Planning and Projex are advising VSHF on the plans.
Good news on a number of counts, though we might have guessed that the modern extension would be a 5 floor stump.
Be nice if VSHF looked at a few other sites they might purchase such as the proposed Hilton Garden Inn on Renshaw St, another scheme of YPG that failed to materialise.
By Anonymous
As an ex magistrate of 23years, great idea any additional hotel in this great city of ours will be a great success.
By Eddie Doyle
Yes, once again excellent news for the renewal of Liverpool City centre. Dale Street could become a vibrant adjuct to the Castle Street Water Street prosperity in a similar fashion as it was in former times as the centre of mercantile for the international community of shipping and banking.
The hospitality development of recent times, already fetch a new lease of life, if connected to the Liverpool One and Rope Walks to include the Victoria Street and Matthew Street we could see Liverpool become a must to visit for the International Tourist.
Well done.
By Anonymous
Remove the buses from Dale Street – or, even better, pedestrianise it – and you’d have a stunning Victorian boulevard that would encourage further investment.
Interesting to note the purchase price: got themselves a bargain there.
By More Anonymous than the others
That should be good for traffic, no top of a major junction and no were to park or pick-up and drop off. Why can’t this building be turned into a major heritage site there is plenty of Hotels already in are great city.Perhaps you could look at the old HSBC building on Norton Street, which was previously occupied by JMU that would make an ideal hotel with plenty of parking round the back of it
By Anonymous
Be good if Councillor Nick Small could do an interview with PNW , he could give a few insights into what is going on behind the scenes in boosting the City’s economy and attracting big developers and investors here. He is very active on twitter regarding his local ward work but he has a citywide brief which he might be a bit more open about.
By Anonymous
Your wish is my command. I’ll do my best to make that happen. IF you have any specific questions you’d like to put forward to the councillor, please email news@placenorthwest.co.uk. – J
By Julia Hatmaker
Hopefully something happens, its a real blight on the area at the moment.
By Dr Ian Buildings
Great to see that this building will finally come back to life cant believe that they only paid 265k for it though its a massive site surely it was worth more than that no value for money for the city council tax payers really
By Anonymous
Yes £265k was an absolute steal for these beautiful, eye-catching buildings they’re worth much more. As regards Liverpool council tax payers not getting value for money I think this is insignificant here in light of the City’s non payers, which amount to at least £180m over the last 3 years.
By Anonymous