North’s tallest tower planned for Liverpool’s waterfront

New designs, inspired by shipping containers, have been drawn up for a Liverpool tower that would be the tallest in the North.

Hoylake-based Richmont Properties is behind the 67-storey, 199-metre building close to the waterfront at the junction of King Edward Street and Leeds Street.

It is the third design for the old King Edward pub site in the last five years.

Manchester-based Maurice Shapero was brought in after 2010 designs, inset, by Leach Rhodes Walker were rejected by CABE.

His plans will house 350 apartments, 21,000 sq ft of shops, 84,000 sq ft of offices and a 13,000 sq ft restaurant. They are expected to be submitted in March.

The application process is being funded by Richmont, which is co-owned by Wirral businessmen Christopher Richards and William Beaumont, but it is not yet clear if funding is in place for the tower. The application is being handled by Peter Buglass of Custard Pie Properties who also owns part of the site.

The plans for a site so close to the Three Graces could face resistance from the city's planners, but Shapero told Place: "We have had numerous meetings with the planners and have a letter from them unofficially giving their support to the present scheme. We asked them to provide this for the investors to alleviate their understandable concerns about financing another planning application."

Liverpool-based Y1 Developments was involved in the previous plans but it's not know if the company is still involved.

Shapero set up on his own eight years ago after working for David Chipperfield, Michael Wilford, and Steve Hodder in Manchester. His first major project was the Palmiro restaurant building in Whalley Range, Manchester.