Sourced reworks Kingsway Square project
Liverpool’s Local Plan being adopted in January has led to a rethink for the scheme, with the proportion of two-bedroom apartments being increased.
Revised plans are due before Liverpool City Council’s planning committee tomorrow, with approval recommended.
The scheme was originally consented in March 2020, with 452 apartments set for the site, off Blackstock Street on the northern fringe of the city centre.
The developer had been due before committee in February with a proposal for 392 homes at the site, architect JDA reworking the plans to create larger apartments. That iteration comprised 180 studio flats, 166 one-bed flats and 46 two-bed flats.
However, the adoption of Liverpool’s Local Plan in January, with its stated preference for more family homes, led the developer to withdraw the scheme and rework it once again.
The architect has now produced a design including 156 two-bedroom apartments and 154 one-bedroom apartments. Externally, the plans for a single block varying between seven and 10 storeys have not changed. The Section 106 agreement for the scheme is set at around £740,000.
JDA and planner Broadgrove are working with Sourced. The team for the original consent was Falcone Chester Hall and Zerum.
A planning officer’s report stated: “The redevelopment of this rundown site on an important thoroughfare route into the City Centre with a modern building, of considered design, presents the opportunity to strengthen the built form and visually enhance this site as well as that of the surrounding area.”
Also due to be heard at committee is a proposal by Lidl for the site of the former Coronation pub in Belle Vale.
What are the real figures for 1 bedroom v’s 2 bedroom sales? All the pre sale invites and opportunities I have been invited too, the studio and 1 bed apartments go first.
Would it be true to say that mostly single or couples are interested in apartments and cannot afford the 2 bed ones and young families would prefer a house instead leaving 2 bed apartments as a hard sell? Hope someone can explain, but seems the local plan by LCC is more aimed at a political audience rather than a buying one?
By Property Owner
This local plan is based on political posturing, it is overwhelmingly the market that influences the developer and not the other way round, and the market mainly prefers the 1 bed or studio. There is always some demand for 2 beds but not to the extent LCC wants, but they are stubborn and their inflexibility will cost them, in the same as in Bootle where the Sefton local plan there demanded 2-car driveways and this resulted in a very good canal-side mixed scheme of over £30m being refused.
By Anonymous