A development firm that hopes to build controversial new student accommodation on the site of a former church near Toxteth hopes a “new vision” will win approval.
Having failed to win support last month, an application for more than 180 student bedrooms and 105 apartments on Falkner Street will be considered by Liverpool Council ’s planning committee tomorrow. It will be the third time the local authority will have heard the application, which is recommended for approval despite concerns being raised by councillors over insufficient parking provision and the impact on the “residential amenity of adjacent neighbouring properties and future occupiers of the development itself”.
The site, currently owned by the Elliot Group, could change hands however, should the committee back the plans at the third time of asking. Legacie Developments has agreed a deal to purchase the site if the proposal goes through tomorrow morning.
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Gavin Currie, managing director of Legacie Developments, said: "We are incredibly hopeful that the planning committee recognise our commitment to regenerating this site and delivering quality accommodation. Legacie Developments has a solid track record of working across the city and the wider North West to accomplish such schemes.
"We have agreed a deal to purchase the site, subject to planning permission being received, from the previous owner and have put forward a new vision. It is pleasing that planning officials are recommending approval and so we hope it will be passed at the next meeting."
Alastair Shepherd, planning agent on behalf of Elliot Group, told the committee last month that the applicant was looking to sell as it had “no further interest” in the site. City-based developers Legacie was founded in 2016 by John Morley and has since expanded into Manchester, London and Luton.
The plans for the land on Falkner Street have been met with vociferous opposition from residents and campaigners from L8 Matters Community Land Trust who made their voices heard outside the Town Hall with placards ahead of the committee meeting. During the meeting, the motion by the chair, Cllr Tony Concepcion, was that the recommendation be approved.
An amendment was proposed by Cllr Joe Hanson, that the application be refused based on the lack of parking, and the detrimental effect on residential amenity. As a result, it was resolved that consideration of the application be deferred to enable a further report to review and formalise any reasons for refusal.
It was said the site occupies two buildings which would be demolished; a former probation centre built in the 1990s, and a former church built in the early 2000s, together with surface car parking. The probation centre’s services were transferred to another location while the church was closed in 2014 - 12 years after it opened.
Planning approval had previously been secured at the site in December 2019 subject to a section 106 agreement being entered into.
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