Plans to demolish a 19th-century Victorian villa have been re-submitted after being rejected by Sefton Council last year.
Pervious plans to demolish Park House in Waterloo and replace it with 142 apartments were rejected by the council in 2020 and 2021. Developers Anwylhase once again submitted revised plans to demolish the former care home.
The new proposal states it "seeks to address the concerns" raised by the council and local residents by reducing the number of flats available to 106 affordable independent living apartments for over 55. Anwyl state that there is an "acute" housing need for older people in Sefton and the flats will have support services and communal facilities, with associated landscaping, amenity space and car parking.
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A heritage statement submitted to the council said: "The aesthetic interest of Park House has been compromised by the extent and low quality of its later extensions and alterations. The west elevation is the most intact although the original villa comprises only a small part of the elevation.
"Though the 1932 extension replicates the Italianate style of the original villa, the overall balance and composition of the elevation is poor and its incoherence is exacerbated by the presence of later extensions visible above the chapel which itself is plain and functional.
"Overall Park House is not a rare example of a late 19thcentury villa and locally there are more intact examples that have greater aesthetic and group value. For these reasons, it is concluded that the post- 1930s extensions are of no aesthetic interest and the original villa itself is of low aesthetic interest due to it being heavily compromised by later additions and alterations and only experienced in views from the west; primarily within the site."
The villa was built in the late 19th century as the private residence of a local corn merchant. 1880s Park House was acquired by the Sisters of Notre Dame as a ladies’ school before it was purchased in 1902 by a group of four Augustinian Sisters from France who converted the building to a convalescent, rest home and hospital.
The site closed in 2015 but is remembered fondly by residents and last year over 600 people singed a petition against the proposed demolition. With neighbours stating that they would be disgusted "at the loss of one of Waterloo's finest buildings."
The building is not listed and it is not in a conservation area but is recognised by Sefton as a non-designated heritage asset.
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