Liverpool site with potential for labs, housing hits market
Taskers has decided to sell its old homeware store off Wavertree Road, a plot of land near Paddington Village.
The 4.7-acre site off Wavertree includes a former 120,000 sq ft Taskers warehouse and adjoining surface car park. The Taskers location was shut in 2017 and has been sitting vacant since then.
CBRE has been appointed to market the property, with agents Andrew Byrne, Clare Robinson, and Will Atherton noting its potential for a variety of uses, including housing, build-to-rent, student accommodation, labs, offices, and a hotel.
There is no guide price listed for the site.
Byrne, a director at CBRE’s office agency team, pushed commercial aspirations for the land.
“This represents a key opportunity to acquire a strategically located site which is suitable for numerous redevelopment opportunities including offices and commercial,” he said.
“There has been limited levels of new-build development and demand has therefore been restricted to existing building refurbishments. Undersupply in the Liverpool office market has seen demand levels being unmet and there remains a feeling that we need to tap into this unmet potential in the region.”
The laboratory scene is also worthy of a potential new owner exploring, he added.
“Demand in the laboratory market over the last two years has averaged 105,000 sq ft which far outstrips current supply,” Byrne explained.
“Modern occupiers are seeking accommodation that is delivered within a well-curated ecosystem, that satisfies their demands for good location, high quality, resilient and sustainable lab facilities,” he continued.
“This site opens up opportunities for the laboratory sector with the provision of lab space available very much concentrated into five principle buildings/developments/business parks with three of the five located in Liverpool City Centre and within the Knowledge Quarter.”
His colleague, Robinson, is an associate director on the development and residential team at CBRE. She pitched the housing potential of the site, noting that much of the newer resi schemes are all located in central Liverpool.
“There is, however, limited new development surrounding Mount Vernon Road, with the exception of the Paddington Village residential offering,” she said.
“This site represents an opportunity for more residential development to serve a growing population, predominantly young people aged 20-34 years, and a high proportion of renters.
Robinson continued: “The site can also support the residential market serving students studying at the city’s five higher education institutions. The existing supply for student beds in Liverpool falls short of meeting the current demand with more than 10,000 PBSA beds still needed and this site has the potential to bridge that gap by providing modern amenities in a convenient location.”
This great site- it’s only 5-10 walk to Paddington village and the new hospital and on a bus route into the city center- let’s hope a mix of apartments and office space can be fitted onto the site – it could be home and work place for hundreds of not thousands of people if done well
By Stuart wood
The Taskers site is a massive opportunity to provide some quality , high-density housing ,similar to what is happening at the new development at nearby Grove St
Just nearby is Edge Hill Station a great asset but much under used, and this can provide a great opportunity for commuting into the city centre. Liverpool needs to take a lesson from Manchester and work with the private sector and Housing Associations to build up a brand new , high populated, bustling neighbourhood here in Wavertree.
By Anonymous
I grew up in Wavertree and that neck of the woods was Edge Hill. Still is, last time I checked. Anyway, as others note, a cracking site and an opportunity to add to the good work on the other side of Wavertree Rd, opposite the nick, with high quality, high density homes and good landscape design.
By Anonymous
Born and bred in Edge Hill, it still is Edge Hill and with a little bit of vision the redevelopment of this site can transform the whole area.
By Liverpolitis
Besides being a great area for new , mid-rise, housing any new development could also consider a medium-sized railway museum celebrating the history of Edge Hill and the Liverpool-Manchester railway.
To the left of the main picture, and not shown, there would be ample space for such a museum which I feel could be successful with exhibitions, shop, and cafe. Surely the City Council development team could approach National Rail and other railway-interest groups to pursue such an idea.
By Anonymous
No point in adding more housing if their is no infrastructure included as well. Even in SimCity you have to provide new infrastructure to go with developments otherwise you fail at building a city
By Anonymous
@ Anon 11.25am, do you know the area at all, there are large supermarkets and other stores in Overton St and the Wavertree Shopping Centre, then other local shops on Durning Rd. There are doctors nearby and a large health centre on Edge Lane. Transport wise there’s plenty of buses, plus a main railway station with lots of destinations. So all in all infrastructure seems good to me and as more people live there more businesses and resources will open.
By Anonymous
The comments shown here are positive..
What is needed is accommodation and expansion the the three university campus facilities…
Liverpool could attract major investment from the pharmaceutical industry..
A upgrade to the Edge Hill railway station, would bring the United Kingdom straight to the centre of 21st century education and medical progress.
Yes, we also should mention the Liverpool Tropical School of Medicine.. a leading pioneer since the 18th century in International research…
Keep the chimney sweeps, bottle washers and wheel tappers gang out.
By Anonymous
Kinglake House and the Tesco/Jacks/Tesco are underdeveloped plots in the area.
By JB