Liverpool's first 5 star hotel? The Adelphi at its height was second to none.
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Liverpool's first 5 star hotel? The Adelphi at its height was second to none.
Can it be better than the Radisson? I would have thought that was 5*
ROYAL Liver Assurance has criticised a multi-million pound waterfront project that includes Liverpool's first five-star hotel.
Company bosses believe the Princes Dock scheme will block out the majority of views of the famous Royal Liverpool Building, known the world over as an icon of Liverpool.
Despite the objection, the city's planning managers are recommending the council planning committee should approve the scheme when it meets next Tuesday.
In another attack on the scheme last night, Wayne Colquhoun, chairman of Liverpool Preservation Trust, said: "It seems this city is determined to agree to major schemes within the World Heritage area before a major report from Unesco on December 15.
"I can't believe they are even considering this when just four days later we will have an idea from the World Heritage Centre about their views on the developments in and around the Pier Head."
The council-backed organisation, Liverpool Urban Design and Conservation Advisory Panel, praised the architect for a scheme on what is a world-class location.
But the panel said the stature of the iconic site was too great to be used predominantly for mass market residential purposes. Instead, it should be used as the headquarters of a major international company.
Instead the developers, Lead Asset Strategies, plan to build just a modest amount of office space within the project.
The site, between the River Mersey and the Crowne Plaza Hotel is within Princes Dock, currently used as the operational base for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.
Planning committee members plan to visit the site before making a decision later on Tuesday morning.
Lead Asset Strategies is seeking the go-ahead for a development that includes 362 apartments, a hotel and spa, office suites and commercial space. There will also be a three-level underground car park for 380 vehicles.
The hotel will be housed in a 13-storey building, with 224 guest rooms as well as a business centre and a public viewing terrace on the roof.
A proposed tower building has been reduced in height from 24 levels to 17 after concerns were raised by English Heritage and the council's planning manager Nigel Lee. This was because of the closeness to the site of the Royal Liver Building.
The extension of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal to the Albert Dock will pass through the site in a culvert.
Royal Liver Assurance also opposed the Mann Island development by Neptune, again because of the impact on views of the Royal Liver Building. That scheme won planning consent last month on the casting vote of committee chairman Cllr Lady Doreen Jones.
The assurance company has told the council it believes the scheme contravenes a Unesco convention, a claim disputed by council officials who insist neither project close to the Pier Head poses a threat to the World Heritage site.
Planning manager Nigel Lee says the scheme will introduce a positive and complementary addition to the inventory of outstanding architectural buildings that define the character and importance of the Pier Head.
"The new complex has been designed to respect and celebrate the city's historical and architectural legacy," he said.
larryneild@dailypost.co.uk
The Radisson SAS is a four star (I've heard it described as "four star deluxe", whatever that means, I suspect that its a cop out aimed to get away with the fact that an actual five star hotel was promised for that site).Quote:
Originally Posted by Kev
Five star hotels are rather rare outside of London. Manchester has only one - Rocco Forte's Lowry Hotel and that's recent.
I'll be pleasantly surprised if either of the two currently promised "five star hotels" for Liverpool - New World Square and the old Municipal Annexe actually turn up to be so. Ending up with two of them sounds very hopeful indeed.
Cries of 'sacrilege' as first five-star hotel is approved Dec 13 2006
By Caroline Innes, Liverpool Daily Post Staff
THE path was cleared for Liverpool's first five-star hotel yesterday when a £130m waterfront project was given the go-ahead.
The city's planning committee approved the New World Square development at Princes Dock despite objectors warning it will block out views of the Liver Building and strangle tourism in the city.
Wayne Colquhoun, chairman of Liverpool Preservation Trust, described the scheme as "sacrilegious" and a Crowne Plaza hotel spokesman said it would create an over-supply of hotel accommodation in the city - forcing other new hotel chains out of business.
The project is being delivered by developers Lead Asset Strategies (Liverpool) Ltd and is designed by leading UK architect John Lyall.
The developers are in talks with a number of five-star hotel chains with a view to operating from the site but said a deal could not be secured until the whole scheme had got the green light.
Apart from the hotel, the development will include a health spa, commercial office suites, restaurants, shops, 362 residential apartments, a new public piazza and a rooftop observatory, on the condition that developers include a large amount of greenery and soft planting as part of the scheme.
Work is likely to start in the early part of 2007 with completion targeted for late 2008.
Lead Asset Strategies chairman Raj Basu said: "It has been a lengthy process of consultation and dialogue with the planners, but I am pleased that we have now received approval for this extremely exciting development.
"We are looking forward to commencing work in the early part of the New Year and getting on with the delivery of what will be both a stunning new landmark and a vibrant destination on one of the world's greatest waterfronts.
"Although no deal with a hotel chain has yet been approved, we are certainly a lot closer after this decision."
My opinion on this development has gradually changed over the past few months. At first I thought a tall development (20 storeys) would be ok, but now I think that a low rise development would be best. I am all for tall buildings such as the KE tower and Peel's plan for central docks, but I think a tall development that close to the Liver Building would seriously harm it's image and block out some of it's best views.
Yes AK1. I think this site should be just below the 'shoulder ' of the Liver Buildings
I dont know its a difficult one to call, yes, if the new proposed high rise building was stunning, it would just make the liver buildings stand out even more, but the other side of this too, is it goes against council policy where they did say they wanted a stepped or steeped aproach to the waterfront views. perhaps something in Mirrored glass, dunno but something rather special that would have your jaw drop I think would enhance and compliment.
same could have been argued about the other so called grace though couldnt it?
Ive looked at some of the buildings on skyscrapercity in other countrys and i must say some are stunning and very creative.
kat:)
Yes, you can't argue against quality and every new building should be great, but no matter how brilliant an individual design is, the waterfront should be a single composition enhancing the setting of the Crown Jewels ie the Three Graces and in particular the Liver Buildings, recognised around the world as a symbol of a great city, like the Statue of Liberty in New York or the Opera House in Sydney.
A great choir has only one leading voice.
I can't understand everyones fixation with the Liver building.
I think its brutal and ugly, like something from soviet-era Moscow.
Its a grey, rectangular office block and is not as old or "historic" as people seem to think and is only saved at all by the clock towers.
I think if it didn't exist and someone wanted to build it nowdays, the likes of Wayne Colquhoun would be, once again, screaming sacrilege.
I think you have a point there. Liverpool has far more impressive and historic buildings than the Liver Building, but I think it's more what it symbolises than anything else. It symbolises our great industrial past and our reputation as a world port. There are buildings all over the city centre and beyond that are far more impressive and interesting than the Liver Building.Quote:
Originally Posted by Harry
Absolutely Agree. It's not what it is that's important - it's what it represents that matters.
Even 'beautiful' Sydney Opera House is as ugly as sin close up because the sail design doesn't fit an opera house which is housed in a pink blob at the bottom.
You're contradicting yourself. You say every building should be great in one entry and then say its what it represents is what counts.
I would love to see a skyscraper right by the Liver building. In my opinion, it wouldn't detract at all from what's there. Juxtaposition describes the context.
£130m start date for large Pier Head project
BUILDING work on a spectacular waterfront development in Liverpool will finally get under way in September after protracted negotiations.
The £130m New World Square project was first mooted three years ago but has been subject to intense scrutiny due to its location at the heart of the city’s World Heritage site.
English Heritage and planners at the city have worked closely with developer Lead Asset Strategies to get the scheme off the drawing board.
The site lies opposite the cruise berth at Princes Dock and is next to the Royal Liver Building.
It is one part of two book- end projects at either end of the Pier Head, the other
being the homes and office development at Mann Island.
New World Square will include 362 apartments, an eight-storey five-star hotel, health spa, restaurant and commercial office suites.
It will also feature a dramatic rooftop observatory, public piazza and 380 subterranean car parking spaces.
News that the scheme will finally be under way comes just 48 hours after the Daily Post revealed that the 376 apartments at Mann Island have been block-sold in Liverpool’s biggest ever residential deal.
Martin Green, partner at King Sturge and broker of the £70m Mann Island transaction, said: “This is more great news about another fantastic development in Liverpool. It always amazes me just how much negativity there is about the number of apartments being built.
“These top-drawer schemes on the waterfront just demonstrate the great demand for high-quality schemes. The fact that serious developers are interested in investing in Liverpool shows the true state of the market.
“The first day we started marketing Mann Island, we had immediate interest that resulted in a block sale to Dylan Harvey although it took some time to negotiate the final details.
“I expect similar high interest in New World Square when we launch that later in the year. Those two, together with One Park West in the Grosvenor development, make up a triumvirate of unsurpassable waterfront schemes.”
Mann Island consists of three wedge shaped blocks containing offices and apartments. More than half of the apartments have already been reserved.
The two schemes will lie at either end of the Graces on the Pier Head. At the same time, construction work is continuing on the Leeds Liverpool Canal extension project along the waterfront, which is now two thirds complete with the Pier Head section due to be finished in August.
Martin Clarke, regeneration manager for British Waterways, said: “One of the biggest challenges is how closely the scheme integrates with adjacent developments. This is a tough engineering task and requires negotiation between project managers and contractors.”
The Pier Head section will be complete in August, just before New World Square gets under way.
Liverpool Daily Post
Hi Kev
I think this development should be ok and will probably look better in real life than on the artist impression. The height and shape seem just right, not too big.:PDT11
Not too imposing I agree... but it's still a horrid glass-and-steel box. It looks like it'll be made from Meccano!
Has this started at last,or has it been delayed again?
Dave.
The scheme isn't dead and buried afterall...
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