Knowledge Quarter development opportunity comes to market
The Archdiocese of Liverpool is selling a three-acre plot capable of accommodating more than 900 student beds, around 460 apartments, and up to 300,000 sq ft of lab and office space.
CBRE has been instructed to market the Mount Vernon Road site, which could be of interest to a broad range of purchasers.
Feasibility studies carried out by architect Brock Carmichael outline the site’s potential. Lab space, offices, apartments, and student housing could all be delivered.
One option is a purely residential scheme comprising around 460 apartments over three blocks. Brock Carmichael also estimates the site could accommodate a pure student scheme of up to 918 units across four blocks.
Another scenario could see the site redeveloped into a mixed-use development featuring flats, offices, and lab space.
Brock Carmichael has worked up several iterations of how this type of project could be delivered with options for between 153 and 263 apartments, 189,000 sq ft and 68,000 sq ft of offices, and 113,000 sq ft and 57,000 sq ft of lab space on the table.
Situated next to the new Royal Liverpool Hospital and Paddington Village, the plot is well-located to benefit from Liverpool City Region’s investment zone status.
The government has agreed to invest £160m in life sciences over the next decade, with Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter expected to act as the engine room of the initiative.
Plans for lab space at Paddington Village are already in the works, with two buildings, Hemisphere and Compound Labs, lined up to provide more than 150,000 sq ft of laboratories.
Neil Kirkham, senior director at CBRE, said: “Due to the highly prominent location at the end of Edge Lane and the junction of Low Hill and Mount Vernon, coupled with the proximity to the new Royal Liverpool Hospital, Clatterbridge Cancer Hospital, University of Liverpool campus, and Paddington Village, we believe this is one of the most strategic development sites in Liverpool City centre.
“The site is suitable for a variety of uses including PBSA, BTR, Offices, hotels or Laboratories. We are expecting significant interest in this site.”
Interesting space, let’s see if the plans for the KQ are genuine and this space is utilised. I think the mixed use option would be the best option.
By Liverpolitis
A positive step, as this is just one of a number of quality ,high-profile plots of land that has lay empty in the city for years. Add to that the mystery plot behind the Pig and Whistle pub on Tithebarn St, empty for about 50 years ,plus the long vacant plots on Moorfields, and you wonder what’s going on in this city as anywhere else it would not be tolerated.
By Anonymous
Let’s try and build something to try and emulate what’s happening in Manchester, it’s a supreme site and needs somethin different a statement from an architect with vision, not just the bang average student blocks springing up all over the city, it’s on a hill and a 40/50 story tower with commercial/private Dwellings would really bring the city back into the limelight liverpool lacks direction and the city council planning commitee lack vision this site is well away from the dock road developments, it needs a stand along tower to bring liverpool city center back into the 21st century.
By Eddie kerwin
No one wants 900 more student beds. Come on now.
By Mark
Council need to think big for once. It’s a good site let’s see something exciting.
By Lee
We have lots of empty land here in Paddington Village, in Baltic, in Pall Mall, along Leeds Street, and so on. What we need is developers, especially the big-hitters, but they won’t come till the Council’s attitude changes.
By Anonymous
We will know if LCC are really “Open for business” with what happens here. Need to see something that is bigger than a bungalow but I won’t hold my breath.
By Paul81
@Anonymous 4:26, the issue with the Pig and Whistle site has always been an issue of viability and therefore offers not high enough to tempt the owner. With regards to Moorfields, it’s the sheer number of tunnels below those sites that kill them. Rental levels are nowhere near high enough to cover the engineering costs of building over so many underground structures.
By More Anonymous than the others
Plenty of space for residential and student accommodation this is ideal for laboratory space given its proximity to the hospital and university. Also understand there is still a shortage of laboratory space . This would help gcreste quality jobs which are much needed
By George
In my eyes this is a really brilliant site at the end of the Edge Lane ‘gateway’ into our great city and hopefully whoever takes the site on will build something that shows more than a bit of imagination, flair and vision that the site I think really deserves. It is on a hill so why can’t we as a city have a really great landmark and a really great stand out building built here. I live in hope but not in anticipation of that happening though.
By Brendan R
Hopefully something of note comes forward on this site! Brock Carmichael have done some good work before, hopefully they can do it again!
By Dr Ian Buildings