Planning committee approves proposals for almost 400 new Liverpool homes

Liverpool City Councillors have approved two schemes that will provide almost 400 new homes.

At this morning’s (March 11) planning committee they considered proposals for an £80m riverside housing scheme which was back before the committee.

Liverpool-based Carpenter Investments submitted plans in December 2023, for a stepped building, rising from 11 to 13 storeys, providing 261 apartments, fronting onto the main Wapping highway on land between Kings Dock Street and Sparling Street, at the eastern edge of the Baltic Triangle.

The scheme included one floor of office and commercial spaces.

While recommended for approval by planning officers, it was rejected due to a lack of affordable housing.

It returned to the committee in January 2024, where it won unanimous approval, subject to a legal agreement and conditions.

However, the legal agreement has not been completed.

The applicants advised that they proposed to progress a revised scheme, which was submitted on October 14, 2024.

This now increases the development’s scale to 14 storeys, providing 297 apartments, including one-, two- and three-bed units.

The overall height of the scheme, however, remains the same as the floor to ceiling heights have been reduced.

The 297 apartments comprise 79 one-bedroom, 144 two-bedroom, 48 two-bedroom duplex and 26 three-bedroom.

The commercial space provides two units within the lower ground level to be used for mixed uses.

There is a central courtyard terrace to the first floor and an external space to the fifth floor to provide amenity spaces for residents.

Also, all apartments benefit from private balconies.

There will be 60 car parking spaces located in the basement area, including 15 accessible spaces and 10 EVC bays for electric cars, as well as 327 cycle parking spaces for both residential and commercial users.

Planning officers recommend approval for the new proposals. The developer said, if approved, work could start as early as this June on the build to rent scheme, providing 150 construction jobs, with completion targeted for June 2027.

Councillors approved the application unanimously.

Plans for Grafton Rooms (Planning docs)

The other residential scheme, also recommended for approval, involved an infamous former night club on the outskirts of the city.

Evenings at the Grafton Rooms, on West Derby Road, were dubbed ‘grab a granny’ nights when the club was in full swing.

Originally opened in 1924 as a dancehall, it converted to a nightclub in the 1970s, becoming part of local folklore.

It closed in the late 1990s, and while reopening briefly as a comedy club in 2008, it has been empty for 10 years.

Now, Newcastle-based Equans Regeneration has submitted plans to develop a six-storey 90-apartment block.

Equans proposes to demolish the Grafton Rooms building, but retain the Edwardian Neoclassical facade.

It wants to erect two apartment blocks either side of a central court space that would accommodate parking and residential amenity space.

A mix of 47 one- and 43 two-bed rent to buy apartments is proposed which would be owned and managed by Liverpool-based affordable housing group, Sovini.

Presenting the proposal to the committee, Brad Wiseman, agent for the scheme from Savills, said: “This application represents a unique opportunity to redevelop the former Grafton Rooms with a development of high architectural quality and amenity provision, whilst at the same time providing much needed affordable housing, stimulating economic growth in the city and enhancing the overall appearance of the area.

“On that basis I would kindly request members support their officer’s recommendation to grant planning permission for the proposal and allow Sovini to move forward with a development that will have lasting benefits to the local community.”

Cllr William Shortall said: “I welcome the development. I have gone past this site numerous times and have watched it deteriorate.”

He added: I know it has some kind of iconic status in Liverpool, but I won’t go into that.”

Cllr Joe Hanson said: “Lots of people will be deeply saddened by the passing of the Grafton, but the reality is it is an eyesore. I am more than happy to support the application.”

Councillors unanimously approved the application, subject to no objection from Heritage England.