DEVELOPERS will have an extra three years to build a mothballed £100m scheme in Liverpool’s historic Hope Street.

The city council’s planning committee yesterday approved an extension to Maghull Developments’s three sets of planning consents that were due to expire in April, 2011.

The project involved knocking down the historic Josephine Butler House, on the junction of Hope Street and Myrtle Street for an underground car park, shops, restaurants and offices.

The company was also given an extension to build 54 apartments in 2 Blackburne Place and 68 Hope Street.

Mike Hanlon, of Maghull Developments, said: “At this moment in time, we are having the worst economic recession since the 1930s and the property industry has been decimated.

“The market is very difficult. We are delighted we have got the opportunity to progress with the scheme as and when market conditions improve.”

Its plans for Josephine Butler House have been the most controversial because of the historic nature of the 1867 former hospital building.

The building has already been knocked down and is now a car park.

Yesterday, once again, it was the company’s plans for the former Josephine Butler house site which attracted the most criticism.