LSF seeks £3m for New Brighton opportunity
Hotel, residential and leisure uses are all in play at the Marine Promenade site, with development of up to nine storeys feasible according to the advising architect.
Hitchcock Wright & Partners is now marketing the site for Huyton-registered LSF Estates, asking for offers in the region of £3m.
The site offers views out to the Irish Sea and is described by the vendor as being in a key strategic position within Wirral Council’s regeneration masterplan.
Specifically, it sits close to the Marine Lake, diagonally opposite Marine Point, a development comprising a Travelodge hotel, Light cinema, Morrisons, Prezzo, Greene King pub, Nando’s, and Starbucks.
LSF’s site was formerly mostly occupied by JD Wetherspoon pub the Master Mariner, which closed for a redevelopment and expansion in 2022, before the pub chain pulled the project early in 2023. It was then sold for around £500,000 in May of that year.
Architect Falconer Chester Hall has drawn up how different options could work at the site in feasibility study documents.
These documents show how the site has the potential to accommodate a nine-storey building providing ground floor retail & leisure space, with 147 apartments and three townhouses – or alternatively, could provide a 200-bed hotel with 59 apartments.
The site is largely rectangular, fronting Marine Promenade and Rowson Street, but with a slim parcel of land extending to Wellington Road at its southern end – this would be where the townhouses could come into play.
A potential apartments/hotel scheme is mapped out as the seven-storey apartment building having ground floor amenity, with 12 apartments at first floor level (four one-bed, eight two-bed), 13 apartments at second and third floor level (each with five one-bed and eight two-bed) and then three floors of seven flats each – three one-bed and four two-bed.
Different options are set out in a separate document for a residential-only scheme, looking both at the site’s partial and full redevelopment.
The site area is 0.59 acres, or 25,824 sq ft – however, should a buyer have larger plans in mind, the adjacent former Queens Royal Hotel, a now-closed pub, could also be incorporated within the sale, Hitchcock Wright said.
Matt Kerrigan, partner at Hitchcock Wright, told Place North West: “This is a fantastic opportunity to purchase a substantial redevelopment plot in the heart of New Brighton to deliver a landmark mixed-use scheme in-line with the local authority masterplan.
“The masterplan provides scope for a large-scale development incorporating leisure, hotel and residential accommodation. A marquee development will undoubtedly enhance what is already an extremely popular seaside town.”
Whilst l am in favour of the redevelopment of the area I feel that the proposal of A NINE STORY building would be obtrusive
and detrimental to the sea front detracting
From the visual effect that is present.
Already the 2 multistory appartment blocks
Look totally incongruous in what is essentially a Victoria sea side area.
By Frances Cowper
Anything built on this site would be be an improvement. This site as it stands is bringing New Brighton to look neglected something needs to be done sooner than later.
By Carol Evans
7 storey on the front will be a eyesore
5 max and should be stone exteria and not a square box
By Anonymous
An area such as New Brighton would benefit from some place making buildings and nine storeys is by no means oppressive or out of place (providing the design is of sufficient quality).
By Anonymous
Buy for £500k, sell for £3m! Why the big change in value?
By Andrew
So instead of looking at a neglected piece of land, we could be looking at a nine storey building which will do nothing for the area Just more apartments with sea views for the privileged
By Anonymous
Any development should reflect the style of the building that was demolished.Too many historic buildings in New Brighton have been demolished and replaced with modern faceless architecture.A nine storey building will look totally out of place and some space should be left in front and to the side to enhance its position on the corner of Rowson Street.
By Anonymous
This site is an eyesore in New Brighton and yes something needs to be done. However the proposals on this article are not right for the plot / area. Townhouses on the small adjacent land – eh? They’ll be tiny!!! How about a modern interactive place, like arcains in Liverpool. Have a space for young people to meet up and ask their input – do not assume what they’d like, ask. A safe place that’s accessible for teenagers / young people is needed
By Maude Kidd
They need to sort out the weatherspoons it’s and eyesore
By Reon
This area does need the vacant plots redeveloped, but 9 storeys is too big for this location
By GetItBuilt!
It’s a shame the Wilkies Leisure site redevelopment never materialised. There’s potential to restore New Brighton as a proper destination area if the relevant parties could get together and reach an agreed way forward!
By Anonymous
As a regular visitor to New Brighton I am horrified at the thought of a nine story building on that site. I agree it seriously needs something doing to it but it should be in keeping withe the area. A nine story building would look an absolute eyesore.
I hope the local community will fight this proposal.
By Anne Hunter
Any project will improve the area. I suspect the not in my back yard people will scupper the improvements as the did against Marine Point for 25 years.
By Anonymous
9 story! Chicago? Idiots.
By Jack
I agree with comments on the height of this development. The height should be in keeping with existing or slightly higher but certainly not 9 storeys.
By Anonymous
Thank god!!!!
By Anonymous
No mention of adequate parking, free or otherwise. Cram all the council tax payers in but don’t worry about the parking.
By Charles Seddon
It would be nice to have that particular spot redeveloped, but in a tasteful manner. I personally think, as do many others by the looks of it, that nine storeys is way too high and it would stick out like a sore thumb.
By Mari Buckley
Any property developer would be a fool to ignore this opportunity and although a nine story high building sounds alarming as a resident of New Brighton I’d welcome any development,what is there now is nothing but an eye sore !
By Lisa Madden