Piling begins for Torus’s £52m Liverpool resi
The challenging site at Stanley Dock is to be transformed into 185 apartments and 10 townhouses, with the first phase of homes due to be delivered in October 2024.
Main contractor Eric Wright Construction broke ground for the Torus project this summer. Set off Lightbody Street, the scheme sits alongside the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, overlooking the grade two-listed Stanley Lock Flight.
Earlier this year, Torus had said the project represented an investment of more than £40m. Updated figures put the construction cost at £52m.
Piling began today on the project, which was designed by Tim Groom Architects.
To get to this stage, structural and civil engineers Ridge and Partners had to navigate an infilled dock, substation, and railway arches to find a suitable way to deliver the building.
Kris Clark, partner at Ridge, said: “Above the foundations, we adopted multiple construction types to suit the architectural aesthetics and layouts, including reinforced frame apartments, timber-frame townhouses, and steel frame duplex flats.
“It’s a great-looking scheme and it will be satisfying to see it completed knowing that its aesthetics and budget have been helped by hidden engineering.”
Keiran Murphy, project manager at Eric Wright, praised the work done by his team and those at Ridge and Torus.
“This is a challenging site with numerous complexities and the dialogue between the engineers, the client, and my construction colleagues has been key to developing a workable construction solution,” Murphy said.
“It’s been a very open and collaborative process and I’m delighted we’re now on site.”
The entire construction period is estimated to take 126 weeks. During that time, the project will create 350 construction jobs.
All of the completed homes will be designated rent-to-buy and will range from having between one and three bedrooms. In addition to the homes, the project will see the construction of 7,700 sq ft of commercial space.
Nearly £3m was contributed to the £52m project by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Brownfield Land Fund. Another Torus project consisting of 162 homes on Melwood, the former training ground of Liverpool FC, received £2.4m from the fund this year.
This is the kind of quality scheme Liverpool needs more of – townhouses and mid-rise apartments, with active frontages and generous balconies, in a contextual style that wears in, not out.
By SW
Very high quality development by Torus. Adjacent the the locks on the Leeds Liverpool canal .. opposite the titanic hotel
By George
This is a good looking scheme in area with great potential for residential growth , as there`s lot of land adjacent to this site. Therefore we should be planning for schemes then of over 500 units if we really want develop new neighbourhoods in the inner city.
By the way what are Torus doing about their stalled site on St James Street in the Baltic, the builder went bust but they said months ago they were going to get back on site soon.
By Anonymous
Very high quality looking project…,ina great location a real boost to the north docks … why can’t we have more of these quality schemes in Liverpool???
By George
Looks like they’re trying to ape the aesthetic of a mill. Is Liverpool taking it’s design cues from Oldham now?
By Anonymous
@2:44 pm By Anonymous
It’s taking its design cues from the dockland warehouse architecture of Liverpool.
By SW
Just copying other buildings brings the death of architecture, the French are not afraid to experiment , just look at the Louvre Pyramid by I.M. Pei that was totally out of step with it`s classical surroundings but is now accepted as a success.
By Anonymous
I agree that we shouldn’t do lame copies of buildings. I also agree that I M Pei’s Louvre Pyramid is both excellent and successful – poised, elegant and beautiful.
I’m thinking more of the banal rubbish that Liverpool have often used as fall back when building out apartment schemes.
The Tim Groom Architects scheme is, if not quite their best, very decent townscape urbanism.
By SW