Derelict and decaying city centre building could be transformed

A long-vacant former office building in Liverpool’s business district is the subject of a fresh plan to provide new housing and retail space. More than eight years after the most recent attempt to breathe new life into the site, an application has been lodged to place dozens of new apartments into Crown House on James Street.

The building between the First National bank and The Liverpool pub has not been occupied for more than two decades but now District & Urban Developments Ltd hope to bring the striking location back into use. In their 2016 application, it was felt the site would be better suited to housing than new office accommodation.

Planning permission had previously been granted for a similar scheme in 2017 but was not implemented. On that occasion, the developer had sought to install 23 single bed apartments and add a three-storey extension.

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The new application is seeking to provide 16 one and two-bed apartments across two floors with an additional retail space at ground level. A total of four of the units are said to be described as affordable.

It is proposed to be a car free development given the proximity to major transport hubs, notably James Street station just yards away. A planning statement said despite being marketed as office space from 2004 to 2020, there had been “very little interest and low level demand” for business use.

It added: “Following a review of historic mapping, it suggests the site was bombed during the Second World War with the current building being erected post war and of a 1950s construction style with a steel frame and stone finish.” A report in 2016 had highlighted how at that time the building was in a “deteriorating condition.”

The planning application said: “This application will prevent the building, which sits in a prominent location in Liverpool city centre, falling into further degradation and back into active use, providing much-needed residential accommodation.” A tenant for the retail and commercial unit on the ground floor will also be established.

The plans will be considered before Liverpool Council’s planning authority with a view to going to committee for determination at a later date to be confirmed.