Liverpool green-lights Paddington Village office

Construction is due to start next year on Sciontec Developments’ 120,000 sq ft office, known as Hemisphere.

Hemisphere was granted planning permission, subject to the signing of a section 106 agreement, at the Liverpool City Council planning committee meeting on Tuesday. The decision was in line with officer recommendation.

The eight-storey office building will be the first new-build development for Sciontec, a company that is jointly owned by Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Liverpool, Liverpool City Council, and Bruntwood SciTech.

Designed by AHR Architects, Hemisphere is to be net zero in operation and will sit on the old Archbishop Blanch School site in the city’s Knowledge Quarter.

• AHR’s Rob Hopkins spoke at Place‘s Net Zero conference. Here’s what he had to say about sustainability in design.

Hemisphere will offer 115,000 sq ft of Grade A offices and research and development space – including 8,000 sq ft of coworking space. Each floor is designed to accommodate 160 people and includes a variety of workspaces, meeting rooms, and breakout areas. There will also be a café, wellness studio, and external terrace.

Sciontec chief executive Colin Sinclair called the granting of planning permission “a significant milestone” for the Sciontec team.

Sinclair went on to describe his desire for Hemisphere to be “the most cycling commuter-friendly workspace in the city centre”, noting the fact the project includes 166 cycle storage spaces, showers, changing rooms, storage lockers, and an e-bike charging area.

“As a cyclist myself, I know how important it is to not only recharge your bike whilst at work but also to dry the clothes you wore to cycle in and to store your kit securely,” Sinclair said. “We want to make commuting by bike a viable option all year round.”

• Hear more about Sciontec’s plans for the city from Colin Sinclair at Place’s Merseyside Development Update

AHR Architects designed Hemisphere. Credit: via planning documents

Liverpool City Council cabinet member for development and economy, Cllr Sarah Doyle, described Hemisphere as “a much-needed, high-quality scheme to generate skilled jobs”.

Doyle added: “We have listened to partners on the need for more quality office space and this will provide the city with much-needed Grade A accommodation, giving people top-quality work conditions.

“It highlights how seriously we are tackling climate change, and our plan to attract the brightest minds in developing cutting-edge medical research.”

Work on Hemisphere is set to complete in 2025 and talks are already underway with potential occupiers, according to Sciontec.

Remi Smith, commercial manager at Sciontec, said: “With Sciontec’s emphasis on wellbeing, including customer amenities, we anticipate high demand for workspace within this groundbreaking new building.

“Furthermore, our pioneering development will have a direct, positive impact on Liverpool City Region’s standings in the provision of high-quality innovation-led workspace, which is not only net zero carbon in operation, but also Platinum WELL Standard.”

Hemisphere will have a gross external floorspace of 172,000 sq ft. Credit: via planning documents

Hemisphere has received financial support from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, via a pre-development funding support package.

Regarding Hemisphere, Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “With world-leading industry clusters in infectious disease control, materials chemistry, and AI, all on our doorstep, we have a thriving innovation economy. But to keep it growing, it’s vital that we are able to offer businesses the high-tech, sustainable office space they need to flourish and catapult our area to the forefront of UK innovation.

“Hemisphere will help take us there. It’s great to see it take another step forward and I can’t wait to see it start to take shape!”

Hemisphere’s project team includes Bruntwood SciTech, Stantec (formerly Barton Willmore), Artin Light, Ares Landscape Architects, Curtins, Walker Sime, Silcock Leedham Consulting Engineers, Flinders Chase, Wintech, and RWDI.

For those looking to learn more about Hemisphere, the scheme’s planning application is 22F/1813.