Developer owned by Home Bargains tycoon Tom Morris reveals plans to turn an abandoned site in south Liverpool into a luxury homes complex with ‘exceptionally large’ apartments. Tony McDonough reports
Davos Property Developments has submitted plans to build a luxury apartments complex that would see the demolition of an early 20th century building in south Liverpool.
Owned by Home Bargains tycoon Tom Morris, Davos wants to offer 17 large three-bedroom apartments in its first development outside Liverpool city centre. Earlier this month Davos unveiled plans for a £10m scheme in the Baltic Triangle.
It has submitted a planning application for an abandoned site on Ibbotson’s Lane, on the eastern boundary of Sefton Park, at the centre of which is a derelict early 20th century property.
Scheme architect, Martin Haymes of Falconer Chester Hall, said: “This was a statement home in its day, and we spent a lot of time with the city council examining how we might adapt and reuse it, but its condition has defeated us, which is a pity.
“Our client invested heavily in structural and other reports but they have all told us that the only viable way forward was to look afresh at the site.
“Our next challenge was to identify how to bring the site back to use in a way that respects its sensitive heritage context, and what you see in the application reflects eighteen months of productive work with the local authority.
“We explored a range of design options and have arrived at a sensitive and respectful approach that considers the site’s landscape assets and the architectural vernacular of the area’s Victorian mansions.
“The original garden was a classic formal design and we’ve re-created it using organic design principles to maximise biodiversity, whilst retaining the majority of existing trees and providing new ones alongside other planting.”
Martin added the apartments would be “exceptionally large”. The site, midway between the popular independent dining areas of Lark Lane and Allerton Road, respects the 1:5 grounds-to-building ratio typical of the mansions in the surrounding roads.
It will utilise red brick and varied roofscapes designed to reflect both conservation areas’ aesthetic.
Project team includes landscape architect Sally Bower, planning consultant, Roman Summer Associates, transport consultant Focus Transport, structural engineer, heritage consultant Adapt Heritage and ecological consultant Pennine Ecology.
Mr Morris is also behind the £1bn King Edward scheme close to Liverpool waterfront and the commercial district. It will include a cluster of 10 residential towers and a hotel. The main tower will exceed 60 storeys, the tallest in the city’s history.
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