City set for UK’s highest homes

Jul 12 2007 by Tony McDonough, Liverpool Daily Post

King Edward pub, days before its demolition, on the site of the planned tower

Giant skyscraper planned for waterfront

A SPECTACULAR £130m skyscraper planned for Liverpool’s waterfront will contain the highest living space in the UK.

The structure will soar 54 storeys and 170 metres into the Merseyside skyline and will comprise 412 apartments, 25,000 sq ft of commercial office space and a combination of 7,500 sq ft retail and leisure space.

The penthouse apartments on the 54th floor will become the highest living spaces in the UK, stealing the title from Manchester’s Beetham Tower which is 48 storeys high with its upper level reaching 157 metres to roof level.

Liverpool developers Y1 Developments and Richmont Properties (comprising Custard-Pie Properties and WFB Properties) have submitted plans for the mixed-used scheme on the site of the former King Edward pub, near to Princes Dock.

This gateway site near to The Strand and Leeds Street is adjacent to the Princes Dock development, and is considered one of the most important locations on Liverpool’s waterfront.

Since the pub closed the site has become an eyesore and Liverpool City Council has made no secret of its frustration at it being left derelict for several years.

The tower will also feature a 6,000 sq ft rooftop bar/ restaurant that will have an express lift from the ground floor, up to the where the bar/ restaurant will have a spectacular view around all of Liverpool, the North West and North Wales.

Colin Turner, from Y1, said: “This is an important development for Liverpool and will enhance the business district and waterfront environs greatly.

“This development shows our deep commitment to Merseyside and the confidence that exists in what is a truly great international city.

“We aim to deliver an iconic, high-quality development for Liverpool as Capital of Culture, which will add to the vibrancy already being created throughout the rest of the city.”

The city’s business community will await the planning decision with interest. The city council has been accused in the past of being reluctant to allow skyscrapers to be built in the city centre or on the waterfront.

However, in recent times the authority appears to have been more open to high-rise developments, although this particular scheme may still come under close scrutiny from influential bodies such as English Heritage and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.

Architects Leach Rhodes Walker (LRW), developed their plans carefully for the new structure so that they took into account Liverpool’s World Heritage status. The final plans were formed by an extensive visual impact assessment of the World Heritage site.

If, as planned, the scheme starts e in mid-2008, this will become the tallest tower development under construction in the UK. The projected build period is 36 months.

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tonymcdonough@dailypost.co.uk