Property firm CERT to start work on an office-to-residential conversion in Liverpool city centre despite the project being refused planning permission twice. Tony McDonough reports
CERT Property says it is ready to start work on converting an office building in Liverpool city centre into apartments despite resistance from the city’s planning committee.
Twice in June councillors refused permission for the conversion of the 27,000 sq ft Centric House in Moorfields into homes, despite planning officers recommending approval. Councillors were concerned about the lack of affordable units.
However, Manchester-based CERT has now secured approval via so-called ‘under permitted development rights’, extended earlier in the year by the previous Government. These can be used to override the objections of the local authority.
Now the firm will press on with plans to create 46 one and two-bed apartments, featuring a resident community lounge, secure underground parking and bike-storage provision approved.
CERT acquired Centric House in 2018, paying £3.3m. The building had previously been occupied by banking giant Barclays but it had moved out more than a decade ago.
In an attempt to attract occupiers it spent more than £200,000 to upgrade the office accommodation. However, the space has never achieved an occupancy above 15% and CERT has had to pay annual running costs of £192,000.
Viability constraints meant that the scheme could not provide any affordable homes, a justification that Liverpool’s viability consultants and planning team had accepted, but the committee rejected.
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Howard Lord, managing director of CERT, said: “We’ve been active in the Liverpool commercial market for several years, with our highly successful creative and tech hub, Elevator Studios, and our award-winning restoration and letting of Duke & Parr.
“We have operated Centric as serviced offices for a number of years and with the pandemic affecting occupancy, the opportunity arose to look to extend our residential expertise into Liverpool to reinvigorate Centric.”
Contractors on the project are Truman Design & Build who recently completed the Molo Hotel scheme, on Duke Street in Liverpool. Truman is due to take possession of the site the second week of September with work expected to take a year.
“Planning reform is a hot topic, with, in our view, the viability process being something requiring specific focus from Labour’s newly formed Government to help the process run smoothly and ensure housing targets are met,” Howard added.
“Our residential track record in Manchester speaks for itself with our commitment to deliver contemporary and desirable places to live, with this same approach applied to our first residential venture in Liverpool.”
Enabl is advising on the planning consultancy and acting as the quantity surveyor on CERT’s Centric scheme. Centric will be operated by CERT’s in-house property management team when it completes in 2025.