Issues

1. Principle of new development
2. The revised proposal
3. Residential amenity
4. Parking & Access
5. Any other issues

Officer Assessment

Each of the above mentioned issues are addressed as follows:

1) Principle of development

The principle of the erection of a three storey block of apartments in the location proposed has been established under the 2006 planning consent. The Planning Committee report for the 2006 scheme acknowledged that the historic fabric of the site had been blighted by several modern utilitarian buildings and whilst new development was being proposed, overall it would improve the setting of the adjacent listed buildings and the adjacent Gateacre Village conservation area, in accordance with policies HD5 and HD12 of the adopted Liverpool UDP.

2) The revised proposal

The original design concept for the site focused around the historic industrial nature of the site, varied urban grain and other forms of development in the area. The revised proposal retains the overall design aesthetics as well as its form, scale and massing as the original scheme however has been changed through amendments to the fenestration positioning of the upper floors on the eastern part of the building and minor increase in the overall footprint. The Interim Head of Planning considers that these revisions to the scheme do not materially alter the overall design concept and the suggested material palette which includes brickwork, which will match the form and colour of the brewery and vertical cladding which references the former industrial nature of the site. As part of the revised scheme, the upper floors of the eastern part of the building now 'oversail' the ground floor element. The Gateacre Society have commented that they consider that this feature could be described as 'incongruous' however the Interim Head of Planning does not concur with this view and considers that it adds an interesting design feature to the scheme. Overall, he is satisfied the revisions to the external appearance of the proposed buildings are satisfactory and in accordance with Policy HD18 of the adopted Liverpool UDP.

Continued . . .