New World Square

[Paul D]

I love the idea of a viewing platform in such a prominent position,photo's from there will be amazing.

[Kev]

THESE are the first images of what Liverpool's first five -star luxury hotel will look like nestled on the city's waterfront. (Pics should follow shortly!!)

London developers Lead Asset Strategies last night released artist's impressions of their £130m New World Square scheme, which will occupy a key site next to the Pier Head.

The pictures show how the eight storey hotel will form the centrepiece of the development at Princes Dock, with views from its 224 rooms looking out over the new cruise liner terminal.

For the first time, the images reveal how the Leeds-Liverpool Canal extension will run through an illuminated culvert under the hotel.

Guests will be able to view the canal from picture windows in the basement health spa.

The hotel will also include an international business centre, health spa, glazed rooftop restaurant, terrace and public viewing area.

The company says talks are now at an advanced stage with a "leading five-star operator" to run the hotel, and it has just resubmitted a planning application for the entire development.

The plan also includes a 25-storey tower block, housing 120 luxury apartments above a double-storey glass-fronted ground floor that will stand next to the hotel.

A third U-shaped building of between 9 and 12 stories housing 264 apartments and two floors of glazed commercial space for restaurants and shops at piazza level.

There will also be a new illuminated piazza and performance area, which the company says will provide "an animated space at the heart of the development".

They believe it will "enhance pedestrian links between the Princes Dock and the new Pier Head" and provide a sheltered venue for cultural events like fairs concerts, and street theatre.

The company's architect John Lyall said the final design came after extensive consultations with urban design and conservation groups including CABE and English Heritage.

Talks with city planners and Liverpool Vision have already seen one revision of plans to make sure the development "complements existing and proposed waterfront features."

Last night, Lead Asset Strategy's chairman Raj Basu said: "This is one of Europe's most exciting and sensitive development sites and we have been determined to deliver an international quality scheme that fulfils the city's ambitions.

"John Lyall is one of the UK's most talented and respected architects and he has produced an intelligent and sensitive scheme that will be an attractive addition to the waterfront skyline."

The company's promotional literature boasts the development will deliver international quality architecture that "respects the important historic setting", and "re-animates the waterfront".

Mr Lyall's practice has an award winning reputation for landmark urban regeneration schemes in Leeds, London, Cardiff Bay and Ipswich Waterfront.

The architect said: "The development at New World Square has to take on board the attributes of stature, dignity and excitement without dominating the Three Graces or the Liverpool skyline. "There is also the opportunity to open up and frame views at street level, reinforcing the sense of place. We believe that this scheme delivers on all three counts, and more."

There will now be a further period of consultation with heritage groups and stakeholders before the plans can be given the go ahead.

Mr Basu said he was confident that if the scheme is given the go-ahead within the next few months then it could be completed before the end of 2008.

He said: "The planning process has taken a little longer than we anticipated, but we have been happy to take time to get things right.

"This is a world-class site demanding the highest quality architecture."

Liverpool company EC Harris have been appointed project managers after already helping deliver several high profile projects in the city including Beetham Tower and Aintree Racecourse.

deborahjames@dailypost.co.uk

[Kev]

Teeny Tiny

[Paul D]

I prefered the original render Kev but the canal link running under it and the new public viewing platform more than make up for this.

[Liverpolitan]

We have to get the old proposals back. These new ones are no good.

[Kev]

We have to get the old proposals back. These new ones are no good.

I liked the old ones too when I first seen 'em. Welcome to the forum btw Liverpolitan

[Kev]

Latest:

[Max]

Teeny Tiny

They don't mix much together.

[Paul D]

They're hardly beautiful but it will add to the skyline and they're better than what we have at present so build it I say.

[Max]

The best cities always have sky scrapers.

[Paul D]

The Liver Building used to be the tallest building in Europe does that mean we're the best?

[Kev]

The Liver Building used to be the tallest building in Europe does that mean we're the best?

I never knew that Paul, cheers.

[Kev]

PLANS for a riverside development in Liverpool that will include the city's first five-star hotel have won backing from the country's top design watchdog.



Cabe, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, has been examining proposals for New World Square, an iconic development overlooking the Pier Head at Princes Dock.

The site is sandwiched between the River Mersey wall and the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Government-sponsored Cabe, responsible for promoting architectural excellence, has commended the plans for a major mixed-use development on Liverpool's waterfront.

Cabe offered its support for the New World Square development at Princes Dock following a presentation to their Design Panel. In its report following the presentation, CABE concluded: "We offer our support to this proposal and would be happy to see it built, as part of the general revival of this part of Liverpool.

"The visualisations demonstrate the positive impact of the scheme on views both near and distant.

"Careful thought in terms of quality of life, landscape design, activity at ground level and routes and views to the surrounding area is evident.

"We think that both the massing of the scheme and the subtle and sophisticated nature of the architecture proposed will be compatible with the much-loved Three Graces as well as the new developments along the waterfront."

The scheme has had a mixed reaction since images of the proposed project were first published some weeks ago.

Site owner Princes Dock Development Company, now part of the Manchester family-owned business Peel Holdings, say negotiations are continuing with several operators eager to open Liverpool's first five-star hotel.

Raj Basu, chairman of Lead Asset Strategies, the developers behind the scheme, said: "We have been clear about our commitment to deliver a development of the highest architectural quality that complements this sensitive and striking site.

"The support of Cabe is most welcome, but it is the views of Liverpool people and the city council planning committee that are ultimately important to us. We will be consulting widely over the next few weeks and hopefully this scheme will be seen as a worthy addition to one of the world's greatest waterfronts."

Architect for the scheme, John Lyall, said: "We are naturally delighted with the support from CABE's design panel.

larryneild@dailypost.co.uk

[Blabber]

This has really grown on me TBH. It will do a lot for the area- bringing people there to work in the offices and live in the flats. And that area needs some shops, bars and restaurants. There's no point having a world heritage site and attracting tourists to it if they have sod all to do when they get there.

I think the designs are fine- they don't offend me at all. And the white and glazing facias is fresh IMO. It also adds some good mass to the area- far better than the rubbish in Princes Dock at the moment.

In terms of the exact appearance, it will porobably look better in the flesh than on those renderings. I'm glad CABE have given it the thumbs up

[Paul D]

It's refreshing to hear someone have some positive things to say about NWS,I agree it'll be better than people think,not many cities in England will have a viewing platform with such great views of such a stunning vista,how many places in England have a hotel with a canal running through it were you can be having a massage and watch the barges go by on the canal below?and that restaurant will be great imagine watching the cruise ships and boats go by from there,fantastic get it built and Liverpool will leave everywhere else standing!