Tall & Urban News

Plans to build a 22-story tower in Liverpool city center have been revised to facilitate the requirements of an insurance industry giant.

Brickland and Anwyl Construction are behind the proposals for Aspire, which is earmarked for a plot bounded by Pall Mall, Prussia Street, Highfield Street and Cockspur Street West in the commercial district.

Approval was granted for the scheme in 2017, with the officer's report identifying a host of benefits including enabling the regeneration of the city block with a "characteristic back of pavement building line" and a tower which would contribute positively towards the existing urban structure and hierarchy of buildings.

However, a revised application drawn up to reflect minor design amendments which are required to facilitate investment in the scheme from AIG has been revealed, with the company's main requests being 15 additional projecting balconies.

These have been added to courtyard façades, with additional Juliet balconies lined up for the Pall Mall elevation in a move which would increase the number of apartments with external access.

Window louvers on the external façade have been reconfigured, with some removed and others introduced, while the parking garages and parts of the ground floor could also be reconfigured.

Landscaping to the first and fifth floor terraces have been rationalized to "strike the correct balance between residential amenity and maintenance requirements," with the building's waste strategy having also been revised.

"The amendments have arisen from a review of the consented scheme on behalf of a major American investor to ensure that it meets their requirements," said a planning report submitted to Liverpool City Council.

"Investment in Liverpool by AIG in relation to such a scheme would be a massive positive for Liverpool and would help to see regeneration of a vacant brownfield site in the city center.

"The amended scheme will maximize the effective use of the site while making a positive contribution to the regeneration of the local area with a sustainable form of development that complies with the relevant national and local policies."

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