£250 million scheme to build a three-tower housing complex on the edge of Liverpool’s business district has secured approval.
Liverpool Council reports
Planning application to construct three towers (39, 33 and 27 storeys) together with a two storey podium and basement, comprising 1,002 no. residential units together with commercial/retail uses residents facilities (lounge, meeting space, cinema room, fitness gym and swimming pool), car and cycle parking and associated access and landscaping, considered and approved subject to a Legal Agreement and the conditions proposed by the Interim Head of Planning.
Liverpool Counsellors, whilst acknowledging the site’s location outside of Liverpool’s WHS and Buffer Zone, the World Heritage Site – Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) requires that new development in the WHS will need to be of a high standard of design to respond to the characteristics and OUV, authenticity and integrity of the WHS in terms of its materials, layout, mass, relationship to street, architectural detail and height. It is also important that new development is brought forward in a manner that respects the network of views to, from and within the WHS.
They noted that there is extensive guidance on tall building design relative the WHS in the SPD. This supports aspirational tall building proposals of the highest design quality at key nodes and gateways, including those that contribute towards a cohesive and balanced commercial cluster of tall buildings, whilst protecting the views and setting of the Pier Head group, Stanley Dock complex and other identified landmarks, and contributing positively to the City’s skyline.
They recorded that the HIA acknowledges that there is a very high significance of heritage assets, and therefore attributes of OUV of the WHS in the vicinity of this site, but finds that the impacts of this development are largely neutral. Indeed, from many southern and eastern viewpoints this development is not visible in the context of the WHS and Buffer Zone. There will be a number of positive impacts from the development upon the urban form of the City Centre. Notably the strengthening of the City’s Cluster of Tall Buildings, building up to a pinnacle at Old Hall Street, whilst bridging Leeds Street. Albeit there will be a significant jump in scale from buildings to the north, in the short-term, and a large void will remain in the CBD at the NCP Pall Mall car park, in advance of future regeneration.
They found that development will also create a focal point and mark the arrival point to the City’s Commercial District. It respects the City’s topography and hierarchy of built form and does not interrupt the horizontal datum of waterfront buildings. It does not distract or compete with the Pier Head group and Albert Dock complex and does not obscure the silhouette of vertical projections and landmarks along the City’s sandstone ridge. Furthermore, the highly reflective and shimmering building presents an attractive and high quality design, which will engage positively at a human scale.
They noted that from five viewpoints the HIA identifies a slight adverse impact upon the setting of heritage assets, landmarks and a conservation area. Specifically, it is from limited cross-river views that the development would appear to sit uncomfortably above the roofline of the Waterloo Warehouse and relative to the Tobacco Warehouse and associated Stanley Dock Conservation Area. It will also compress the viewing cone of the Metropolitan Cathedral that is silhouetted on the City’s skyline above the City’s sandstone ridge. This said, it is noted in the HIA that the glazed and highly reflective materials of the proposed building will enable a contrasting finish with the red brick warehouses, enabling the two features (historic and contemporary) to remain distinct from one another and enable a clear understanding of the evolution of the City’s fabric. It is the impact of this development, when considered cumulatively with other consent development, which is less cohesive. However, these slight adverse impacts are assessed as having a less than substantial level of harm to identified heritage assets, and in turn the authenticity, integrity and OUV of Liverpool’s WHS.
They also found that the regeneration benefits of the scheme, including the visual strengthening of the City’s urban core, are considered to outweigh this less than substantial harm, and therefore accord with Paragraph 134 and wider heritage principles of the NPPF.
They found that the redevelopment of this site with a striking modern development of significant scale and landmark design presents the opportunity for a building that is visually befitting of this prominent gateway location and serves as a beacon to the City Centre and its Commercial District. That it will reinforce the City’s Commercial Cluster of Tall Buildings and help the City Core to extend over Leeds Street. It also has the potential to serve as a catalyst for wider regeneration, including the delivery of a number of other major tall building proposals, consented and planned in this area. The proposed buildings, whilst substantial in size and dominant in appearance from certain vantage points, are tiered, modelled and fenestrated so as to appear proportionate, balanced and complimentary of one another and the surrounding built form. They noted that the building engages positively at a human scale, opening up the site and more effectively animating surrounding streets and spaces.
They found that it also safeguards the future redevelopment potential of surrounding land. This development will largely have a negligible and neutral impact upon the OUV, integrity and authenticity of Liverpool’s WHS, including the setting of various listed buildings, landmark buildings and conservation areas. The approach to recording and interpreting features of archaeological significance is also appropriate. Any harm to the setting of the Waterloo Warehouse, Tobacco Warehouse, Stanley Dock Conservation Area and Metropolitan Cathedral is deemed less than substantial and outweighed by the wider regeneration benefits of the development. On balance, the proposal accords with heritage and design principles of the NPPF, Policies GEN3, HD5, HD8, HD17, HD18, HD20, S16 & SPG Note9 of the Liverpool UDP and Liverpool’s World Heritage Site – SPD.
Download the minutes of the planning meeting
Read more at Construction Enquirer
