Operator of the 30 James Street and Shankly hotels in Liverpool city centre pays £1.75m to the City of Liverpool College for the Bankfield site. Tony McDonough reports.

Liverpool developer and hotel operator Signature Living is to build a multi-million pound luxury apartments development on the site of a former city college campus.

The firm, which operates the 30 James Street and Shankly hotels in the city centre, has paid £1.75m to the City of Liverpool College for the Backfield site in West Derby.

One hundred one and two-bedroom apartments will be created on the site in Mill Lane, which will for be available sale or rent in 2017.

Signature Living intends to start work on the development before the end of the year.

The scheme is part of a £150m plan by the company to expand its Liverpool portfolio over the next two years, creating both hotels and residential developments.

Signature Living co-founder, Lawrence Kenwright, said: “It is an exciting time for Signature Living and I am pleased that we are further expanding our operations into residential as well as growing our portfolio of hotels and apartments.

“All of our residential developments are constructed with care and quality and are designed to a high specification.

“We offer the same innovative and unique design that you get at Signature hotels within our residential offer and Bankfield will be no exception.”

The scheme continues Signature Living’s expansion into the residential property market.

Earlier this year the company, which is backed by Far Eastern investors, began the process of converting Bootle’s Daniel House into apartments.

The former 1950s office block has been given a new lease of life by Signature has created an affordable homes scheme at the site.