Plan for city centre student accommodation scheme overcomes objections

The proposed scheme - Falconer Chester Hall

Plans for new student accommodation in Liverpool have been approved this morning (July 30) by Liverpool City Council Planning Committee, which observed a one-minute period of silence before the meeting, following yesterday’s tragic events in Southport.

The scheme, by TJ Morris, the group behind Liverpool retail chain Home Bargains, was recommended for approval by council officers, who said it would contribute positively towards a diverse and complimentary mix of uses within the Fabric District area of the city.

Family-owned TJ Morris has recently expanded into the property sector, with ambitious plans for new developments.

In April this year it was revealed that Liverpool-based developer, Beetham, had sold a gateway site bordering the King Edward Triangle in Liverpool to KEIE, the TJ Morris subsidiary with whom Beetham is working to deliver an eight-acre multimillion-pound waterfront scheme on the land.

Today’s TJ Morris proposal, together with Caro Developments, was to build a five- six- and seven-storey structure to be used as student accommodation for 250 bed spaces and to use part of the ground floor as 1,000 sq m of commercial/retail space, following demolition of existing structures.

The site, in the Brownlow ward, is edged by Audley Street, Kempston Street, Ilford Street and Gildart Street.

The location is next to Audley House, the former TJ Hughes department store to the west on the opposite side of Audley Street. In February last year TJ Hughes was granted permission to convert its iconic Liverpool retail site into 199 new apartments.

Cllr Heather Westhead objected to the TJ Morris application, saying the absence of an active frontage on the proposed new building will not animate the street, and there is already a very high concentration of student accommodation in the immediate area that is not in use for around five months of the year, which would impact negatively on businesses in the area and the council’s policy of supporting sustainable businesses in the nearby Fabric District.

Three further objections had been received from individuals on similar grounds, as well as fears that the area lacks a feeling of safety due to existing issues including drug taking, prostitution, and general small crime, such as parking meter theft, while an increased number of students raises concern that the crime rate would rise further.

Jason Abbott, owner of The Tapestry Building in the Fabric District, urged the committee to reject the application, saying it doesn’t align with the mixed use policy of the Local Plan, adding: “We need long term accommodation in this area for families and key workers.”

However, planning officer, Felicity Collins, said the scheme said council policies do include provision of student accommodation in the Fabric District and that it makes sense to concentrate this accommodation in areas close to the universities.

Addressing concerns that local businesses could suffer due to ‘dead periods’ during main holidays, Rob Brym, associate director at the scheme’s architect, Liverpool-based Falconer Chester Hall, pointed out that many students have summer jobs and will remain in their accommodation.

The application was approved, with Cllr Joe Hanson abstaining.

Neil Carlyle, managing director of Caro Developments, said: “This is a very welcome decision that will see us deliver a high quality development which improves the street scene and brings more footfall to the area.

“Students’ expectations have evolved rapidly since the pandemic, and we’ve incorporated a number of innovations that will ensure the development leads the market. It’s a perfect location, sitting on the doorstep of the Knowledge Quarter.”

Rob Brym added: “The whole area speaks of the Georgian and Victorian desire to elevate functional buildings through design and materials. There are pleasing flourishes throughout and so our façade treatments, particularly the use of geometric patterns in the brickwork, needed to be able to hold their own.”

Dave Little, development director at TJ Morris, welcomed the approval, noting the firm’s commitment to its home base: “This is very good news and allows us to bring our resources to bear once again on our home city. Liverpool has enormous potential, and we welcome the opportunity to work with a local authority that recognises the role developers can play in job creation, place-making and the city’s wider competitiveness.”

Zerum is the planning consultant for the project. Clancy is the structural engineer, with Orion Fire Engineers advising on fire safety.

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