There have been local objections to both schemes, worth a combined £144m, but the planning committee did approve the conversion of Lime Street’s North Western Hall back into a hotel. Tony McDonough reports
Two major Liverpool developments with a combined value of £144m will have to wait a few more weeks after council planners deferred their decision on whether to allow them to go ahead.
Decisions on both Liverpool John Moores University’s (LJMU) £64m redevelopment of the former Copperas Hill sorting office and Legacie Developments’ £80m Baltic Triangle residential scheme, have been deferred. Councillors will now conduct site visits of both schemes.
The council planning committee did give the go-ahead to convert North Western Hall in Lime Street back to its original use as a hotel. In recent years the building has been used as student accommodation.
However councillors rejected a plan by Liverpool FC to use its Anfield stadium for other sporting events such as boxing, rugby league and American football.
LJMU wants to to develop the former Post Office site at Copperas Hill with a five-storey Student Life building and two-storey Sports Hall building. However, local residents are concerned about the proximity of the scheme to their homes.
Local Labour councillor, Nick Small, has taken up their concerns. He said on Twitter: “I support LJMU’s plans for Copperas Hill in principle, but the Sports Building proposed is too close to the backs of residents’ homes.”
The Legacie scheme to create 500 new apartments in the Baltic district, which has become a thriving creative and cultural hub just outside the city centre, has met with significant opposition.
As well as leading to the closure of the popular Constellations entertainment venue, the scheme would also see the loss of an area currently used as green space.
Local councillor Steve Munby also raised objections after it was revealed the city council may exempt the developer from having to pay £1.4m towards improving nearby open space.
Developers are often asked to make Section 106 payments that would go towards improving highways and public realm. This would amount to around £1.5m for Legacie to pay but planners say because the scheme already offers an element of landscaped space they believe the firm should only pay around £100,000.