Suburban church to be converted into 10 luxury apartments in £3m scheme

Conversion of a different nature is taking place at a Waterloo church in North Liverpool.

EW Developments, a Liverpool developer that was incorporated in March last year, has started a £3m scheme to convert St John’s Church into 10 luxury apartments.

The church, which was built in 1865, stands on an island at the end of St John’s Road, and was the focus of the local community for more than 100 years before the church moved to a new premises on Picton Road in 2006.

Since then the church has lain empty and abandoned.

Now, EW Developments will transform the site into a luxury residential scheme, remaining sympathetic to original details such as the church organ, which will be fully repaired during the development process.

Other key features will include stained glass windows and original clover windows.

EW Developments is co-owned by James Winters, founder of engineering firm M-Tech, and Rob Edwards, architect and founder of R+R Design.

The church organ

The pair successfully converted the Our Lady of Good Help Church in Wavertree into 10 luxury apartments earlier in 2023 following their 2019 renovation of an abandoned Victorian building into the successful Phoenix Hotel in Kirkdale.

James Winters said: “We are proud to once again showcase the adaptable skill-set of EW Developments with another church conversion which remains sympathetic to original features.

“This is a major undertaking, not least with a church organ to repair, but we are so excited to breathe new life into a historic and iconic local building, and, in turn, breathe new life into the community with new luxury housing.”

He added: “We understand this is a special building to a lot of people, filled with many memories. I am delighted our work will allow fresh memories to be made in a modern, sophisticated space.”