Irish Centre

[Kev]

LIVERPOOL'S Georgian assembly rooms will be brought back to its former glory if proposals to build a new boutique hotel on the site are agreed.

The cost of restoring the Wellington Rooms to create a 49-bedroom hotel above is likely to be between £5-10m.

The grade II* listed building, formerly used as Liverpool's Irish centre, is on the ECHO's Stop the Rot hitlist and is an English Heritage "build-ing at risk".

Last year, the ECHO revealed plans by leaseholders New Dimensions Properties for a 60-bedroom hotel at the Mount Pleasant site.

After discussions with English Heritage and city plan-ners, a formal application has now been submitted which reduces the rooms to 49 and sets them further back from the front of the building.

Adam Hall, managing director at architects Falconer Chester, said: "The whole idea is to straddle the existing building with a metal structure, and have the hotel sitting above as has been done in many European cities.

"It will be like the Free Trade Hall in Manchester which is now a Radisson Edwardian hotel."

The scheme includes restoring the main assembly room as a function suite for parties, weddings and other events.

A new restaurant and separate brasserie will be opened on the ground floor, together with the hotel entrance.

The boutique hotel rooms, similar to the Hope Street hotel, will be created in a four-storey extension set above and behind the Mount Pleasant frontage.

Mr Hall said: "If we get permission we could be on site in the autumn and finished by the end of 2007."

A meeting is now being organised so New Dimensions can explain the plans to nearby residents and businesses.

The Georgian building, named after Britain's victorious general in the Battle of Waterloo, was opened in 1816 and used for assemblies and balls.

It was paid for by public subscription and the freehold is now owned by the city council.