Telegraph House plans knocked back
Crossfield Exclusive’s redevelopment of the central Crosby site has been refused consent by Sefton’s planning committee.
The meeting, held yesterday, also gave its approval for major amendments to the Section 106 agreement on David Wilson Homes’ Town Lane scheme in Southport.
An application from Forth Homes and Castle Green for 206 homes at the Orchard Farm site in Thornton was deferred, along with a reserved matters bid from Wainhomes covering part of its Bankfield Lane development in Southport.
Crossfield bought Telegraph House, an office/retail building on Moor Lane, from Str Modwen in May 2020 for £1m.
Plans designed by Studio RBA were submitted this April for a new-build project, featuring 11,000 sq ft of retail and commercial space at ground floor and 74 apartments on the upper floors, with a rooftop garden.
According to documents provided by planning officers in recommending approval, the proposals have been welcomed locally, with 52 letters of support.
David Wilson Homes, which is amid the 759-home development at Town Lane, consented in 2014, has succeeded in its bid to have some highways and education contributions removed from Section 106 commitments. According to the officers’ report, these infrastructure commitments amount to £230,000, including around £170,000 for education.
Unforeseen issues with development, including a faulty drainage solution necessitating a costly redesign, have led the developer to seek financial rearrangements in preference to the site being mothballed.
Sefton’s highways manager has reported that funding has now been allocated from the Combined Authority for the eastern bypass, so DWH’s contribution is not required.
As well as the loss of these contributions, the volume of affordable housing on site has been reduced to 127 from 144 homes.
According to the officers’ report for committee, 312 market houses have to date been completed on site including 55 affordable homes, with a further 92 dwellings having started but not finished.
The care home on site, to be provided by Priory Asset Management, has yet to start, while an associated business space scheme has also stalled.
That’s an odd one re: Crossfield’s Crosby site. There’s loads of space on all sides of the scheme, meaning it can support additional scale and density. Indeed, density is one of the things Crosby town centre is crying out for, not to mention more quality and more footfall. Will be interesting to see if they appeal this. Hope they do.
By Sceptical
Kind of depressing when someone tries to liven up a moribund and under achieving town centre by adding to the residential supply , only to be rejected by councillors content to allow stagnation.
Not good when the planning officers gave it acceptance only to be overruled
By Anonymous
More bad news
By Wow