University revives plan for Copperas Hill

Liverpool John Moores University has set out fresh proposals for two new buildings at Copperas Hill, more than a year after the original regeneration of the site stalled.

The University has resurrected plans for the area, and is proposing to build a Student Life Building and a Sport Building on the site behind Lime Street Station.

The Student Life building will sit on the corner of Copperas Walk and Skelhorne Street, and is mooted to include a student advice and wellbeing centre; career advisory services; a student union; and common learning space.

Meanwhile, the Sports Building will be split over two and three storeys in height, and will house an eight-court sports hall; three multi-purpose halls; a gym; and associated facilities.

The development will be delivered in two phases; the first includes both the Student Life and Sport buildings, alongside associated public realm works, and is due to start on site by the end of 2018.

The £64m project is expected to complete by summer 2020.

Professor Nigel Weatherill, LJMU vice-chancellor said: “Copperas Hill is an area with significant potential for the University to create open pathways and public realm which will connect our two existing campuses in Mount Pleasant and Byrom Street.

“We have taken time to develop the plans for the regeneration of Copperas Hill and we believe we have now arrived at the right approach. The scheme provides for the development of two major LJMU buildings set within new public spaces and landscaped routes.

“It will transform this area of the City for our students and staff, as well as for the residents and communities around this site.”

Formerly home to the Royal Mail Sorting Office, the site has been long mooted for development.

Initial plans for a £70m refurbishment of the sorting office were first put forward in 2014, and contractor Lendlease was brought on board to deliver a multi-use student facility, designed by BDP.

However, costs rose to £100m between 2014 and 2015, and work halted on the 280,000 sq ft building in late 2016. This led to a change in professional team with Lendlease no longer involved with the project.

The sorting office was demolished last year and the site has now been fully cleared. The new professional team on the project includes Faithful + Gould as project manager; Sheppard Robson as architect; Cundall as civil, structural, and building services engineer; WSP as fire engineer; and Barton Willmore as planning consultant.

It is understood a main contractor is yet to be appointed on the scheme.

A second phase of development will link into the proposed masterplan for the city’s Knowledge Quarter Gateway. Liverpool City Council today announced it had started the process of appointing a masterplanner for the area, which will help link Lime Street and Copperas Hill to the wider Knowledge Quarter development.

The council is looing to appoint a partner by the end of April on the plan, which will sit alongside the Copperas Hill plans, as well as projects around Lime Street including Ion’s mixed-use regeneration scheme.

A strategic regeneration framework for the 56-acre area is expected to be delivered by spring 2019.

Colin Sinclair, chief executive of KQ Liverpool, said: “The phenomenal growth of KQ Liverpool, along with the ongoing regeneration of Lime Street, has shone the spotlight on KQ Gateway.

“It represents one of the greatest development opportunities in the UK and, along Paddington Village, will have a major impact on the city’s economy, creating thousands of jobs, in science, tech, health, education, retail and leisure.

“The SRF will truly allow us to plan a world-class development, enabling Liverpool to compete with any city in Europe.”

Your Comments

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Is the pixelated blue on the LJMU Redmonds Building to highlight the cladding that has fallen off?

By HH

pretty boring, and unispiring stuff in comparison to the aspirations of the orginal scheme – money money money

By A

How can there be “…significant potential for the University to create open pathways and public realm which will connect our two existing campuses in Mount Pleasant and Byrom Street” when they are one full mile in distance apart (1.06 miles to be precise).

By Mike Rainer

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