401-home residential development at Land Bordered By Vauxhall Road, Liverpool

What was proposed

The proposal would demolish the existing building and erect two interconnected 16-storey buildings containing 401 homes, communal facilities, commercial space and associated works.

“Proposal: To demolish existing building and erect two interconnected 16 storey buildings comprising of 401 residential units (177 x 1 bed; 218 x 2 bed; 6 x 3 bed) (Use Class C3) with associated resident’s gym, cinema room, workspace and lounge; ground floor commercial unit (Use Class E and F2); together with associated car parking, access, servicing and landscaping.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The site included a vacant former public house, parts of Freemasons Row and Gladstone Street, and a disused rail tunnel beneath it.

“The site is roughly square in shape and level. It includes the western tip of Freemasons Row, a drive-like parallel street set back from Leeds Street, as well as Gladstone Street, a road perpendicular to Freemasons Row set back from the eastern site boundary. The north-west corner of the site is occupied by a vacant public house facing onto Vauxhall Road and Naylor Street. Beneath the site, running diagonally from the south east to the north west is a disused rail tunnel.”

“Planning permission was granted in 2017 for redevelopment of this site, comprising two interlinked blocks of 13 and 11 storeys in height, with commercial units at ground floor and residential above. That scheme was not implemented and a further application was submitted in 2018 for a 13 and 15 storey scheme, but the application was not determined. As such, there is no extant planning permission for redevelopment of the site.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval subject to conditions and a legal agreement, including a requirement to complete the overlapping public realm if the neighbouring development did not do so.

“It is concluded that the amendments to the external works to be approved under 24F/0059 are needed to ensure that both this development and the adjacent development on site (17F/0874) can both be delivered. The amended external works details are not fundamentally different to the scheme already resolved to be approved by Planning Committee. The changes are limited to the position of planters and the layout and surface finishes of the public realm.”

“Having regard to the above assessment, it is considered that the that the scheme should be supported, subject to the imposition of the recommended planning conditions and planning obligations, which have been updated to reflect the changes to the external works plans.”

Officer report

The amended works

The amendments changed the south-east landscaping area, including the turning head’s shape and surface, while leaving parking numbers and the rest of the development unchanged.

“The amendments relate solely to the landscaping area in the south east corner of the site, as illustrated in the snapshot images below.”

“A private and controlled access to a green gap paved turning head for the bin store / delivery access for the Metalworks development, has been amended to a tarmac finish turning head, of a slightly different shape, and will be a privately accessed space to be used by both the Metalworks development and The Gateway development. There is no change to the number of parking spaces.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Consultees raised no objection subject to conditions covering matters including biodiversity, drainage, active travel, highways, inclusive design and contamination.

“United Utilities Asset Protection No objection, subject to condition to demonstrate drainage hierarchy, flow rates and drainage details. Directed by the principles set out in the National Planning Practice Guidance and the new National Standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems (2025) we require developers and Local Planning Authorities, to do all that they can to avoid surface water entering the public sewer, unless absolutely necessary.”

“(i) An investigation of the hierarchy of drainage options in the National Standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems (or any subsequent amendment thereof). This investigation shall include evidence of an assessment of ground conditions and the potential for infiltration of surface water; (ii) A restricted rate of discharge of surface water agreed with the local planning authority (if it is agreed that infiltration is discounted by the investigations); (iii) Levels of the…”

Officer report

Who spoke

The planning case officer outlined the application after a presentation showing the site and proposed development.

The committee vote

The chair moved approval subject to a legal agreement and conditions, and members voted seven in favour, none against and with no abstentions.

“That the Application be approved, subject to a Legal Agreement and the conditions as proposed by the Director of Planning and Building Control.”

Minutes