North Liverpool is currently experiencing a significant transformation - with many other developments on the way as Everton prepare to relocate to Bramley-Moore Dock from their historic Goodison Park home.
In Everton Valley, approval was granted last year for the demolition of a former bank building to make way for new apartments. The Cooper's Reupholstery building, located at the junction of Netherfield Road North and Kirkdale Road, will be replaced by a tower up to six storeys high, providing 49 new apartments along with associated car parking and access.
The building had been vacant until Cooper's moved in, having previously served as a Midland Bank branch. As part of Project Jennifer, which has attracted some controversy, a Sainsbury's superstore, McDonald's drive-thru, an adjacent retail park and around 100 new homes were delivered further along on Great Homer Street.
This regeneration project also included the refurbishment of the Marwood Tower building. However, between these two schemes lies Kirkdale's 'elephant in the road' , as it has jokingly been called - a plot of land at Whittle Street, Kirkdale Road and Smith Street, which has remained vacant for years, its hoardings battered and flattened by years of neglect, reports .
Liberal Democrat campaigner Kevin Robinson-Hale in Everton has criticised the developer for the prolonged neglect of a site. He said: "The land has been left to overgrow and fall into a horrific state with fallen down hoardings and zero benefit at all for the Vauxhall community, the north is littered with stalled and failed sites. We need more homes for the community, not a constant stream of private apartments and student accommodation."
After being acquired seven years ago by Fast Growth Homes, there's renewed hope that the site might see development.
The ECHO understands that progress is being made towards a plan for 177 homes after resolving boundary issues with Liverpool Council. Documents reviewed by the ECHO suggest FGH, under director Paul Lloyd, aims to engage a registered housing provider to "restore the historic urban fabric of the area as a marker of regeneration."
Once legal terms are finalised, the project is expected to feature a six-storey residential building.
The documents note: "The provision of 177 residential apartments makes a useful contribution to Liverpool's housing requirement and diversifies the type of accommodation available within the area. The site is currently vacant, under-utilised and detracts from the local area."
"The current proposal will see a comprehensive mixed-used development brought forward in this location ensuring that brownfield land is recycled and reducing the requirement to develop on greenfield sites elsewhere."
The site was once the home of the Goat's Head pub before its eventual demolition. Work had started briefly in 2018, with efforts made to clear trees and erect hoarding, but those structures have since been battered and covered with fly posters.
Councillor Tricia O'Brien, who represents the Kirkdale East ward and has served as a former planning committee chair, expressed her optimism for the future of the troubled site. She remarked, "I've been in touch with the council's property management team several times over this site. It's concerned me since I was elected, I'm told the trouble is the developers had to resolve matters legally with the council. It's an eyesore, I'd love it to be developed on.
"I've often thought if it can't, the council could consider a compulsory purchase order on it."
With Liverpool's critical housing crisis and the pressing demand for new homes, Cllr O'Brien emphasised that the Kirkdale site stands out as particularly suitable for creating much-needed housing, stating, "We do need more housing and it wouldn't do any harm on there.
"There's a lot of terraced housing in Kirkdale but I think there is a call now for smaller apartments for people to move into. If the developers can deliver something like that, we want to keep our communities together."
Should the proposed scheme get the green light, it will join a roster of projects by FGH. The firm received the nod in October to construct a new five-story hotel near Everton’s future home at Bramley-Moore Dock.
The planned 80-bedroom facility will sit on a site bordered by Regent Road, Blackstone Street and Fulton Street, which offers views of the upcoming 52,888-capacity stadium. This area, a blend of industrial and warehouse structures, includes a grade II listed former mill.
The design blueprint reveals that 32 bedrooms are expected to be within the refurbished listed building, while an additional 48 will feature in the newly built section.
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