Planning inspectors have backed a decision to reject proposals for more than 200 apartments in the Baltic Triangle.
An application to build a co-living accommodation block on the site of the former Bogans Carpets unit was knocked back by members of Liverpool Council ’s planning committee in January. Following an appeal by applicant Crossland Ltd, the planning inspectorate has backed up the local authority’s decision.
Under the plans put forward, Crossland Ltd sought to provide 236 single occupancy co-living studios with associated communal space. Co-living is a concept that originated in America with schemes granted planning permission in other UK cities, including London, Manchester and Bristol.
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Following a site visit to the New Bird Street location in July, inspectors appointed by the government said “the proposed scheme conflicts with the development plan when taken as a whole. Other considerations do not outweigh this finding.”
The findings said: “The appellant has emphasised the importance of the communal facilities for the wellbeing of residents, but this requires that facilities are readily available for residents, when they need them. Without this, there is a risk that occupiers could end up being spending long periods in their apartments, which is a particular concern as the majority do not meet the minimum standards.”
The inspectors’ report added that the majority of the proposed studios would not meet the minimum space standards, and “it has not been demonstrated that the communal spaces would be sufficient to make up for this deficiency.” The officials wrote that they were unable to conclude that the scheme would “provide a satisfactory standard of living, with particular regard to space standards.”
While a number of benefits were identified in the planning inspector’s visit, including the creation of additional housing for younger people, it was said that the scheme would fail to provide an “appropriate mix” of housing and had not demonstrated that it would not provide “adequate private and communal space to ensure satisfactory living conditions for future residents.”
In January, councillors raised concerns about the affordability of the proposed housing scheme, the lack of policy around developments of its type and the construction representing a “student development by stealth.” David Wilson, development manager at applicant Crosslane Ltd, urged members to rethink planning officers’ recommendations to refuse the plan, claiming that more than 200 jobs would be created by the scheme.
It was suggested that more than £1 million would have been generated for the local economy as a result of the development.
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