Boutique hotel gets thumbs up in £40m transformation of city’s historic area

THE £40m transformation of Liverpool’s historic Wolstenholme Square has received a further boost after securing planning permission for a new boutique hotel on a neighbouring site.

The 116-room hotel will be built on a cleared brownfield site fronting Seel Street.  Discussions with its operator are nearing conclusion, said Elliot Lawless of Elliot Group, who promised to reveal their identity shortly.

“Ropewalks is beginning to turn into a more rounded, mixed-use neighbourhood and this permission will change the character of the north end of Seel Street,” said Lawless.

“We’ve worked extensively with Liverpool council’s design team to ensure that our approach is sensitive to its neighbours whilst putting a very contemporary stamp on the streetscape.  I’m delighted with the outcome.”

Elliot Group acquired the former surface car park earlier this year and has been working with architects Falconer Chester Hall since on a transformative scheme with a development value of £20m.

“The building’s layout is really interesting,” said Adam Hall of FCH. “It gives the operator the flexibility to offer both single rooms or serviced suites, maximising revenue and occupancy. 

“Liverpool attracts lots of groups and the ability to allow them to room together will be a major selling point.  The rooftop pool and spa will cap it off.”

The hotel will back on to Wolstenholme Square’s block B and is twenty yards from the new passageway being punched through from the square to Seel Street, designed to boost permeability and create more active frontages. 

Work on site is expected to commence in the autumn.  Meanwhile, construction work on Wolstenholme Square is well underway.

The project comprises four blocks ranging in height from three to 10 storeys, providing 445 studio and one bedroom apartments as well as a new passageway through to Seel Street, lined by shops, cafes and offices.