One of Liverpool’s most distinctive pubs is moving closer to a new lease of life.
Built in 1926, The Glasshouse was a mock Tudor pub at the junction of Cunningham Road, Mill Lane and Edge Lane in Old Swan. Last year, Liverpool Council’s planning committee gave the go-ahead for plans to turn the building into ground floor commercial units and first floor residential units after it has stood vacant for the past two years, boarded up and covered in graffiti.
Now, further applications have been made to progress the renovation of the building, which includes two one-bed apartments on the upper floors of the building. A series of four dormer windows are being installed - subject to local authority approval - to meet planning requirements for living arrangements.
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Speaking to the planning committee meeting in July last year, John Hayes, Liverpool Council development team leader, told members that there was “no viable use” for the building as a pub anymore with minimal changes needed to the exterior. Those in favour of the plan had submitted representations to the local authority stating how they felt the pub had “become a blight on the local area” and a hub for anti-social behaviour.
The application has been made by Liverpool-based food and beverage consultant Optimum Group, which operates a number of Costa Coffee venues across the North West of England. The lower floors of the building where the lounge and bar of the former pub once stood are to be repurposed into a hot food takeaway, drinking establishment and retail offer.
It had initially been thought three apartments would be installed on the upper, vacant residential and loft space levels in the building as per the original planning application. New documents indicate this has now been reduced to two.
Efforts have been made to preserve the heritage of the “landmark” building, which is deemed a non-designated heritage asset by Liverpool Council. When the plans were initially revealed in 2021, there was mixed reaction from residents, with some worried that the building's distinctive features would be lost and others sad to see a pub close, while some were pleased to see that the building would be in use going forward.
Storage for six bicycles and eight waste bins - which must be locked securely at all times and only accessible by residents and waste management - will also be installed as part of amendments to the site, subject to council approval. A date has yet to be established as to when the plans will be considered by Liverpool Council’s planning department.
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