Liverpool pulls a 180, approves Wapping Station regen
“I think there will be a sigh of relief across the development community,” said Alan Beer, owner of Carpenter Investments, after his company’s plans for 216 flats at One Kings Dock Street were unanimously greenlit.
The decision to sign off the application for a 13-story apartment block on the former Wapping Station site was a total about-face for Liverpool City Council’s planning committee. Councillors had unanimously rejected the application in December against officer recommendation. They wanted the project to include affordable housing, even though a viability statement had shown the scheme would be unable to do so and return a profit.
The team at Carpenter Investments had been shocked by the result – as had the Place North West comment section, with questions arising over whether the city was truly open for business.
As part of standard procedure, Carpenter Investments’ application returned to the committee on Tuesday morning for a second go. Beer and his team had not adjusted the scheme in the interim. Once again, officers recommended the development for approval. This time, councillors listened.
Beer said his team made a point to highlight the economic benefits of the project, including the fact it would secure 200 jobs.
He noted that there was a definite change in how the project was received – well before the vote.
“The committee itself was very, very different to the earlier committee we had,” Beer said. “They were listening, and they were interested and enthusiastic about the scheme.”
Beer said his team was delighted by the committee result. Main contractor Carpenter Build is now aiming to start on site in the second half of this year.
“It’s good news for Liverpool,” he said.
L7 Architects designed the project for Carpenter Investments. The scheme includes around 14,000 sq ft of commercial space as well as apartments.
The Planning Studio is the planning consultant for the scheme. GIA Surveys, SCP Transport Consulting, TERM Engineering, Ensafe, CC Geotechnical, and ADS are also on the project team. Rounding out the consultants are Mulberry TMC and Kingdom Ecology.
Learn more about the project by searching application reference number 22F/2748 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.
Also approved at the planning committee meeting was McLaren’s application for a student accommodation project on the site of the old Ritz Roller Rink. Learn more about that project.
Wonder if the commissioners have had a word with some of the councillors because it was getting beyond a joke. Hopefully we will see more of this.
By Jack
The Carpenter team have done well in the city previously with some sound developments, and they deliver. Though in some quarters the proposal has received criticism it is not much different to what you might see in this day and age on the seafront in say Nice or Marseille and the sooner they’re on site the better.
By Anonymous
That’s good news- but liverpool has hundreds of vacant sites across the city center and outskirts, the city need to do more to attract another million people to the area – with lower taxes on property, companies and living
By Stuart’ wood
Brilliant news!!! Are the planning committee finally ignoring the nimbys? Here’s hope so!
By Anonymous
The same day two councillors objected to a 8 storey building because it was “Too Big”. Liverpool won’t progress until its politicians get with the times like Manchester have so successfully
By Lee58
The NIMBYS and inward looking councillors have held this city back for too long. I hope we can see some momentum and more cranes in the sky.
By Nick R
Well done to Carpenter – and credit to Liam Robinson, too. This and the McLaren application were something of litmus test of his political authority. Good to see that he’s on top of things. Now, all eyes on the former police HQ – one of the best development opportunities in the country…
By Anonymous
Why was the original height of 16 storeys overuled?
By Liverpool4Progress
It’s a solid scheme, of course they should overturn it!
By Balcony Warrior
Just need to stop reducing height of developments and then the city will really take off.
By DC
Good news, finally some common sense has prevailed and hopefully this will be the start of several new schemes being approved and delivered! Too many sites in Liverpool have stalled in recent times.
By Anonymous
Glad to see something getting built.
Don’t really like it, but that’s life.
Carpenters seem like solid contractors, but L7 could try and be a bit more ambitious with their some of their designs!
By Dr Ian Buildings
Well done Alan and Carpenter – Glad it’s got across line this time! Good step of progress for city generally
By Peter E
I cannot believe that this site was not protected for any potential future transport use, utilising the Wapping tunnel. Very short-sighted
By Anonymous
About time a good looking development
By George
Wow. 180 degrees.
By Anon2
A welcome decision, but just shows how fickle the planning committee is. I’d be embarrassed if I were them…same facts, same developer, complete turn around.
By DenseCity
Liverpool has miles of other unused rail tunnels why cant this be used to connect the existing underground network .
By Anonymous
Just because something looks like a 1960’s deck access estate does not make one a nimby. Some people care about their city.
By Bixteth boy
At least it’s not square city
By Anonymous
The Wapping Tunnel can still be used as there is still enough land here to build a terminus station , with 2/3 platforms, like at West Kirby.
This could serve the shopping area and the Arena, it needs the Metro Mayor to show some vision and pester central government.
By Anonymous
@Feb 1, 6.25pm… 1960s deck access flats are still in use and thriving in places like London, and in Sheffield where Park Hill flats are a listed building and available for purchase.
As long as the right people are in flats then they are a perfectly acceptable place to live obviously you don`t like them, but not everyone is like you.
By Anonymous
I hope someone is thinking about the extra traffic this will empty onto Wapping. With The Strand “improvement” phase 2 still in the works (unfortunately). That will mean one less lane at the end of the road/crossing a busy junction those apartments will need to use.
By Anonymous
Bixteth Boy, you are spot on and almost everybody agrees with you
By Gilly
This is a good solution which will help re-populate the city centre, but isn’t it strange that for some people “caring about their city” means objecting to every scheme that is proposed in the city centre and elsewhere, and their solution is to have grass and buddleia growing everywhere with all manner of wildlife present. That is not the way to attract jobs and investment and bring prosperity to the city, plus other posters have pointed out if you don’t like city life switch to the outer suburbs.
By Anonymous