Developers backed by Home Bargains billionaire Tom Morris to begin discussions with city council over plans for a skyscraper cluster on Liverpool waterfront. Tony McDonough reports
Developers KEIE and Beetham are set to begin discussions with Liverpool City Council over plans for a cluster of skyscrapers close to Liverpool Waterfront.
KEIE, backed by Home Bargains billionaire Tom Morris, and Beetham, which has already delivered developments in the city, are planning to create 1,200 new apartments in several tall buildings on what is currently the King King Edward Triangle industrial estate.
LBN exclusively revealed their plans for the site earlier this year. They plan to build a cluster of skyscrapers that likely include the tallest building ever built in Liverpool.
In August it was revealed the developers had acquired a further plot on the edge of the site, an engineering works. This would take the total area to 5.7 acres which sits inside Peel Group’s Liverpool Waters scheme.
Discussions with city council planning officers are set to begin KEIE and Beetham have appointed architects Brock Carmichael and planning consultancy Pegasus Group to draw up a masterplan for the site.
“These are two of the most critical appointments we will make, and it’s good to have such capable people around me to help drive the project forward,” said Hugh Frost of Beetham.
Darren Muir, director of Pegasus Group’s Liverpool office, added: “The overall project will deliver a step-change in how the north end of the city centre looks and functions.
“Ensuring all elements knit together into a satisfactory whole is a critical role of the planning function and we’ve got our shoulders to the wheel.”
Chris Bolland, managing partner at Brock Carmichael, confirmed that discussions on “the early direction” of the scheme’s overall masterplan have already been held with Liverpool Council.
He said: “The council have been constructive and fully engaged, and we have been able to move forward elements of the masterplan design already.
“There’s still plenty to do, of course, but it’s shaping up to be the game-changer everyone wants it to be and I’m looking forward to sharing our designs in due course for proper scrutiny.”
Liverpool-based TJ Morris, through its KEIE subsidiary, has partnered with Beetham to bring the prime city development site forward. Beetham is best known for redefining the skylines of Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.