One of Liverpool's most unique buildings could be knocked down to make way for one of the city's tallest tower blocks. Stood on the corner of Old Hall Street and Leeds Street, a glass fronted office building offers no hint of what is located inside.
The building was a purpose-built data centre for the running of the Moores family's Littlewoods empire. Having stood long vacant, the striking site has been earmarked for demolition to make way for more than 430 rental apartments in two huge tower blocks.
Liverpool Council's planning committee will pass their judgement next week on a proposal put forward by Packaged Living Limited (PLL) to knock down the former data centre in the city centre to put up 25 and 19 storey towers, providing 434 one, two and three bed flats for the rental market. In addition to residential floors, the building could also comprise a top floor amenity space and roof terrace, as well as ground floor residential uses.
READ MORE: {}
This is the latest application for a residential scheme on the site, with permission granted for a 27 storey scheme as part of the Ovatus project. This would have originally contained 168 flats.
Next to it would have been Ovatus II – designed to be Liverpool's tallest tower with an eye on providing around 700 apartments across 50 storeys. Such was its height, it would officially have been classed as a skyscraper.
The site was put up for sale in 2020. PLL's application was first submitted back in 2023.
When the Littlewoods building was constructed, the business had its headquarters in nearby tower block Sir John Moores House. Littlewoods' successor company, The Very Group, is now based in Speke and its former headquarters has been renamed The Plaza.
The building is no longer used as a live data centre and has been decommissioned. Birkenhead-based construction company Stredder Construction stripped out the building following the vacation of the building in 2018. The building's glass façade is said to reflect light away from the building to keep it cool with some speculating online it was strong enough to survive a bomb blast.
Most Read
Edwina Coward, development manager for Packaged Living, said: "The scheme introduces a landmark development at this prominent northern gateway site and introduces much-needed homes within walking distance from the waterfront and the city centre. The public consultation response was overwhelmingly in favour and we made a number of changes in light of people's constructive suggestions.
"It's a better scheme as a result."
Don't miss the latest news and analysis with our regular North West newsletters – sign up here for free