Apartments scheme approved unanimously, despite affordable housing concerns

Proposals to build 93 apartments in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle were unanimously approved at this morning’s (July 9) Liverpool City Council planning committee, despite concerns over the provision of affordable housing.

The scheme is a part eight storey/part 10-storey development by housing developer, Torus, which was scheduled to be considered at the council’s June 4 planning committee, but was withdrawn on the day due to discussions over the provision of affordable housing within the scheme.

Current council policy demands that a total of 20% of residential units within a scheme must be ‘affordable’.

The council’s planning officers recommended the application for approval, if the developer commits to providing 19 units of the overall scheme for affordable housing.

The proposed scheme includes ground floor use as commercial and the upper floors to accommodate 93 apartments on land at Norfolk Street/Brick Street.

The site is around 0.15 ha and located towards the eastern edge of the Baltic Triangle. It fronts onto Norfolk Street to the north and Brick Street to the south.

It was previously occupied by Liver Grease Oil and Chemicals Company but has since been cleared of all buildings and vegetation. The site has been used for temporary storage associated with the construction of a neighbouring residential building.

To the west is a nine-storey residential building known as Baltic View. To the east is a nine-storey residential-led development currently under construction known as The Vault. The site opposite, on Norfolk Street, contains a seven/eight-storey mixed use block of student apartments and commercial space.

There are historic warehouse buildings on Norfolk Street to the west which are mainly in industrial use with some office space. The site faces towards Baltic Creative accommodation on Brick Street to the south.

The surrounding streets now include a significant amount of residential accommodation along with retained industrial uses, creative and digital industries, hotels and some food and drink and entertainment uses.

Torus’s plans are for four ground floor commercial use units, ranging in floor area from 38 sq m to 89 sq m, all with street frontages, and residential uses on the upper floors.

The 93 residential units would comprise 45 one-bed apartments, 45 two-bed apartments and three, three-bed apartments, including 21 wheelchair-accessible unit.

At this morning’s committee meeting Cllr Joe Hanson, a fierce supporter of affordable housing provision, sought clarification from Torus on its claims to be an affordable housing provider, despite the absence of any affordable units in its scheme.

He said: “I understand why you’re doing what you’re doing, but I had to ask.”

Torus Chief Executive, Steve Coffey, responded, saying he especially wanted to attend the committee to answer such queries. He said: “We have tried to create a scheme here that is high quality. However, one of the quirks of the situation is, it is not viable.”

He added: “It is very marginal and doesn’t make financial sense.”

Torus is currently completing a similar scheme, a £51m development, on Lightbody Street which topped out in March this year, providing 185 apartments and 10 townhouses, as well as the conversion of nearby railway arches for commercial use.

Cllr Hanson said he was prepared to waive his views on affordable housing on the Norfolk Street site, given Torus’s previous record of providing valuable housing in the city.

The application was approved unanimously.