Victorian residence and former school in Liverpool set for a multi-million pound redevelopment but local historical society says public access to this ‘historic gem’ needs to be maintained. Tony McDonough reports
Property agents say “a number of interested parties” are already circling a Victorian residence and former school which was put on the market just weeks ago.
In June, the owner of Broughton Hall in West Derby, the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy, instructed joint agents Eddisons and JTS Partnership to find a buyer for the site which is ripe for a multi-million pound redevelopment.
This property includes a 19,000 sq ft Grade II-listed mansion, completed in 1859, a 28,000 sq ft former convent building built in the 1960s and almost 10 acres of surrounding grounds.
Subject to planning consent, a number of possible uses have been suggested for the site include new homes, a hotel or events venue, a corporate headquarters, religious retreat, a training centre or a private hospital.
James Govier, an agent at JTS Partnership, said: “The West Derby location, just five miles from Liverpool city centre, is a major selling point and not surprisingly we have already been approached by a number of interested parties.”
However, Stephen Guy, chairman of the West Derby Society (WDS) which was set up in 1977 to raise awareness about the area’s history and heritage, says it would be ideal if the site was kept intact and some public access allowed.
Posting on Facebook, he said: “This is a fascinating building. It has no grand entrance but inside is a warren of large and small rooms.
“The upper floors have seen alterations over the years but the integrity of this great house has been preserved. The basement still has its wine cellar, cold room for storing meat and a coal hole.
“A prominent and unusual element is the conservatory, restored in 1996, with its beautiful metal work.
“WDS welcomes any permitted use that preserves the mansion and estate. In any future role, some form of public access inside the building is preferable – people need to be able to admire this historic gem.”
In 1868 the iconic White Star Line, known for its transatlantic passenger service and luxurious liners and owner of the ill-fated RMS Titanic, was launched from the mansion.
Stephen added: “This remarkable merchant’s palace is a wonderful link to Liverpool’s commercial past.”
Broughton Hall was designed by Birkenhead architect Walter Scott in 1859 for Gustav Schwabe. He was a German merchant and financier who spent his working life in Liverpool and funded companies such as Harland and Wolff and White Star.
It was bought in 1925 by the Convent of Mercy and used as a Catholic girls’ school. In 1969, a new convent was constructed next to the hall.
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The convent is currently occupied by Zoe’s Place hospice for babies and children and the vendor has agreed to extend the charity’s lease until June 2026 as it intends to relocate to a new site in West Derby.
Robert Diggle, Eddisons Liverpool agency director, says: “It hardly needs saying what a unique investment opportunity this is, for such an unusual and large historic Liverpool site to go on the market.
“Broughton Hall itself is Grade II-listed with an incredible array of original features such as intricate oak-panelled walls and ceilings, parquet floors and a large orangery still intact. It really is a unique property.”