Next steps for 116,000 sq ft Liverpool office
The city council will next week enter into an agreement with Sciontec Developments to deliver the £35m Hemisphere scheme in the Knowledge Quarter, subject to cabinet approval.
Billed as being net zero in operation, Hemisphere will be designed by AHR Architects and deliver 116,000 sq ft of grade A workspace, providing a welcome boost to Liverpool’s meagre office pipeline.
The development would be aimed at health, education, science and tech occupiers.
A report to Liverpool City Council’s cabinet is recommending the authority enter into an agreement with Sciontec Developments that will pave the way for the office, the next stage of the Paddington Village innovation district.
Hemisphere will aim to achieve an excellent rating for BREEAM, becoming part of the 10% of UK buildings with this rating.
Subject to cabinet approval, the council will grant Sciontec a 150-year lease on the land. The next step would be the submission of a planning application by the middle of next year.
Construction would begin later that year and the office is slated to complete in late 2024.
“Hemisphere will further build on the success of the Spine and the other recent developments at Paddington Village to create a world class destination for health, education, science, and technology,” said Colin Sinclair, chief executive of Sciontec.
“This will not only help deliver highly skilled jobs for people within the KQ Liverpool Innovation District but for people all across the Liverpool City Region.”
Hemisphere will be located next to the recently completed 160,000 sq ft Spine, home to the Royal College of Physicians, and the under-construction Novotel, due to complete next April.
Additional phases of the masterplan include No5 Paddington Village, a 240-apartment scheme, and another office spanning 90,000 sq ft.
Liverpool City Council has agreed to contribute £21.5m towards the construction of the 90,000 sq ft office, to be built on a site previously earmarked for a diagnostics centre
Sciontec was established by Liverpool City Council, the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University, with Bruntwood SciTech joining as a fourth equal partner in May 2020.
Great news well done all, and a smart looking addition to the city
By LEighteen
Very welcome news but all a bit pedestrian and months away from planning, furthermore where are the other announcements regarding Pall Mall, the Cruise Terminal etc.
By Anonymous
Agreed its good news but the city needs much more and quicker , Cruise Terminal ? its critical the council becomes much more business focused and friendly. The city desperately needs new quality jobs. No point building apartments without demand from well paid tenants.
Lets hope 2022 provides better focus for job creation and not based on hospitality .
By Paul M - Woolton
more of this please
By Anonymous
Good news ….but as others have said the timescales seem slow . Also the city needs rapid movement on other key projects such as the long awaited pall mall office block and the cruise liner terminal and accompanying hotel …….the commissioners need not to slow down development….which is the rumour ( or excuse!)
By George
Step by Step Liverpool starting to gain momentum again. Yes it will take time, but more news like this is very welcome.
By Liverpolitis
Empty offices paid for with free public money does not equal jobs. Not the smartest investment there, LCC
By Priorities
This is good news.
Now need the Pall Mall scheme to get underway.
By Chris
Oh new offices!! What glorious news!!
By Mary Woolley
Excellent news! Paddington Village with the Royal College of Surgeons and the Pandemic Institute is a roaring success. Liverpool has a lot to offer that other cities just can’t match: the first School of Tropical Medicine in the World for example. Earlier than the London School, London copied us!
We were the second city after London more than 300 years ago, and we’ve always been a much nicer city, much better located in many ways, and we did a lot of things before London.
By Pool of Life
Build it and they will come has been Manchester’s motto on office developments and they’ve built entire business districts on that premise and they have come. No reason why it can’t work for Liverpool in the longer term although admittedly now is not the ideal time.
By Simon