Relevant Planning History

Application 99P/0353 to redevelop the site by the erection of a 15-storey office building with basement car parking. together with the erection of a 31- storey hotel and apartment block with amenity block and basement car parking, in a phased development including the use and refurbishment of 91-95 Old Hall Street (listed Grade II) for uses ancillary to this development was granted on 19/02/1999.

Application 99L/0363 for listed building consent to carry out alterations and refurbishment works to premises at 91/95 Old Hall Street in connection with their use for A3 purposes in association with hotel on adjoining land at rear was granted 18/02/1999.

Response to Consultations

City Councillor comments

Councillor Paul Brant has objected to the proposed 28-storey tower on the basis of its excessive height and proximity to the "Three Graces" at the Pier Head

Area Committee / City Centre / Select Committee comments

At its meeting on the 01/08/2001, Area Committee F resolved to support the application

Neighbour notification / responses

During the assessment of the proposed development, application 01L/1431, for total demolition, was withdrawn and substituted by an alternative application 01L/2075 for listed building consent to retain 91 and 93 Old Hall Street and to partially demolish number 95. In response to this application the following comments to further consultations have been received: -

The Towpath Action Group welcome the withdrawal of the original application (01L/1431) and consider the alternative scheme to part retain the cottages and consider it "infinitely preferable to what might have been".

Council for British Archaeology recommends that in the absence of a scheme to retain all the buildings, a record is made of the buildings and that demolition is carried out carefully to ensure that the remaining buildings are not damaged.

The Inland Waterways Association have given qualified support for the application on the basis that the scheme involves "sympathetic treatment of these historically important buildings".

Liverpool Vision support the alternative application which has come about as a consequence of discussions between Liverpool Vision, English Heritage, LCC and the applicant.

Merseyside Civic Society welcome the part retention of the listed buildings but claim that the building to be demolished is arguably the most interesting in the group.

Local Residents have responded to the alternative application in the form of two letters of objection to the partial loss of historic buildings and one letter of support.

continued . . .