Green light for New York-inspired skyscrapers

PLANNING consent has been granted for two new multi-million pound residential towers in central Liverpool.

City councillors have given the green light for an £82m, 34-storey PRS town on Princes Dock to be known as The Lexington, which will be delivered by joint venture partners Moda Living and Apache Capital and will create a new landmark in Peel Group’s Liverpool Waters £5.5bn regeneration zone.

Both The Lexington and a 25-storey tower at the opposite end of the waterfront for X1 Developments and Vermont Construction – which will form the final phase of The Quarter development at the Sefton Street/Upper Parliament Street junction – have been designed by architect Falconer Chester Hall.

FCH managing director Adam Hall said: “The Tower for The Quarter project presented us with an opportunity to create a stylish building which will complete this outstanding development and add a true landmark at the southern approach to the city centre.

“The Lexington was a challenging brief, not least because our design for this building will help define a massively important new area of development.  

“It also had to sit comfortably alongside the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site waterfront whilst emphasising its own character and distinctiveness.”

The X1 Tower will provide 196 units of accommodation ranging from studios to one, two and three-bedroomed apartments, together with a residents’ lounge.
 
The Tower will be passed by thousands of commuters and city centre visitors every day.

“It was important that this building not only complemented the rest of The Quarter development, but also made a statement of real quality at such an important site,” said Hall.

In addition, high quality public realm materials will enhance the landscaping around the five blocks of the development.

Three of the five blocks comprising The Quarter on land bounded by Parliament Street, Caryl Street, Stanhope Street and Sefton Street have already been completed with a fourth currently under construction.

Also approved by the committee, The Lexington will comprise 304 apartments for private rental, split between studios and one, two and three-bedroomed units.

There will also be a residents’ lounge on the 17th floor, as well as a fitness studio, indoor and outdoor cinema, garden and roof terrace.

FCH says the tower’s elegant design is reflective of its location as once the place of embarkation for the new world, drawing on examples of skyscraper design in the eastern United States which were, themselves, originally inspired by buildings in Liverpool.

The building is the biggest single investment into Liverpool’s property market this year, underlining Mayor Joe Anderson’s commitment to supporting investment and housing.

It is the second project to be brought forward by Moda Living and Apache Capital, following the JV securing planning permission for the £128m 466 apartment Angels Gardens development in Manchester that Apache Capital has fully funded.

Tony Brooks, managing director of Moda Living, said: “Liverpool is an exciting place to be in right now, with lots of development activity and a real can-do attitude from the council.

“The Lexington at Princes Dock will help underpin the regeneration efforts there while also providing much needed quality homes for rent. This is the next important step in our ambitious plan to create the UK’s leading rental brand providing a new benchmark for city centre living.”

Richard Jackson, co-founder and managing director of Apache Capital Partners, said: “The Lexington will provide a fantastic legacy for Liverpool and its historic skyline and waterfront, creating from the outset a vibrant community that will be part of the local area.

“Apache Capital’s diverse institutional investor base continues to support our ambition to be the leading owner and operator of purpose-built premium PRS, owning and operating for the long term for the benefit of our customers and the surrounding neighbourhoods.”

Mayor Anderson said: “Liverpool is leading the way with a number of quality developments in the pipeline, and this latest announcement for Liverpool Waters underlines the city’s ability to attract high-level investment into housing which will be crucial to supporting long-term growth.”