Planning approval recommended for three Liverpool schemes

Three key schemes have been earmarked for approval at next Tuesday’s (March 22) Liverpool City Council planning committee.

There are proposals to deliver a new Lidl supermarket and drive-thru restaurant, a housing scheme, and an apart-hotel.

Supermarket operator Lidl aims to build a new store, with a car park, a shop/restaurant and drive-thru on land at Great Homer Street/Skirving Street/Jennifer Avenue in the Everton council ward.

The site is cleared and ready for development for the retail scheme, and a 113-space car park including EV charging points spaces.

Permission is also being sought for a shop/restaurant with a drive-thru, which will be operated by Tim Horton’s, a coffee shop.

It will also offer a 24-space car park.

Eight responses were received by the council from nearby residents in support of the proposal, with some saying “the development is what this area needs”, and another saying “some people are on low income or unemployed in the area so this new store with low prices would be good”.

However, there are objections from Sainsbury’s, which has a superstore and petrol station close to the site, and The Derwent Group, which owns Liverpool Shopping Park.

Planning officers, in recommending the application, said there is no other preferable site and there would be no “significantly adverse” impact.

Officers have also recommended for approval a housing scheme from housing association Regenda in Liverpool 7, to demolish existing homes and create 304 new homes, ranging from social rent apartments and affordable rent apartments to rent to buy and private sale.

They are in six buildings ranging from three to nine storeys.

The site, known as the Grove Street Estate, is owned by the council but leased to Regenda.

A first round of consultations with nearby neighbours resulted in 62 objections. But a second round of consultation, following a series of amendments to the proposal, produced 21 objections.

Another proposal is back before the committee, having been recommended for approval in December 2019.

Prosperity Castle Street Development wants to change use of a vacant five-storey Grade II-listed office building on Castle Street, in the city centre, to create a boutique apart-hotel of 33 rooms on the upper floors.

The scheme was previously approved, but delays to the necessary legal agreements mean the plan is back before the committee once more.

Planning officers say: “The use will bring the vacant and underutilised floors of this prominent and important building back into beneficial use without any adverse impact on the overall character of the area.”