Another tall tower to the north of Liverpool city centre is being planned as the Mersey skyscraper boom shows no signs of stopping.
Business partners Martin Wilcocks and Craig Blackwell want to put two towers on land on the corner of Leeds Street and Old Hall Street.
Now their companies Prospect Capital and Wilcocks & Wilcocks, advised by Indigo Planning, have submitted a planning application to Liverpool council for the first tower on the site, the 27-storey Ovatus 1.
They say there has already been strong demand for the apartments in the tower and they expect it to be fully occupied as soon as it is built.
If it wins approval from planners, they hope to start work on that £35m residential tower next year.
But this is just the first stage of their plans for the site – they want to build an even taller tower, Ovatus 2, next door. Plans for that scheme will be submitted next year.
The towers would form part of a growing cluster to the north of the city centre, around the West Tower.
This week Elliot Group revealed new plans for its “triple tower” in Leeds Street, across the road from the Ovatus scheme.
In Pall Mall, developer Anwyl is planning a 22-storey “eco-friendly” apartment tower.
And two new apartment towers have been announced for Princes Dock as part of Liverpool Waters.
Moda Living won planning permission in October for its £82m The Lexington tower, which would be 34 storeys high.
And Your Housing Group has announced it wants to build a £48m scheme, called The Hive – City Dock, which would be 30 storeys high.
Mr Wilcocks and Mr Blackwell bought 122 Old Hall Street and the adjoining land in November for £3.25m. 122 Old Hall Street itself, on the corner of Leeds Street, is known to motorists for its mirrored glass facade.
The first Ovatus tower will sit next to that building and will include 168 residential units, with 14 3-bed apartments, 88 2-bed apartments, 22 1-bed apartments and 44 studio flats.
Craig Blackwell of Prospect Capital said: “With the site’s key gateway status in Liverpool, as well as its landmark nature and overall significance, we knew that bringing the right team together on this project was very important.
“In appointing Indigo Planning and hodder+partners, as well as WSP and PlanIt, we are confident that the team in place has the skills and expertise to do great justice to a forthcoming special addition to Liverpool’s skyline.”
Martin Wilcocks of Wilcocks & Wilcocks said: “The project is currently fully funded and financed to ensure the scheme’s deliverability, with enough presales secured to ensure the tower is fully occupied on completion. A testament to the demand for this kind of stock in Liverpool.”
Nick Fillingham, associate director at Indigo Planning, said: “With demand for high quality residential units growing in cities such as Liverpool, there is currently a real appetite in the market for this kind of development.
“The scheme’s close proximity to the historic Princes Dock, as well as the existing local amenities and direct access to Liverpool’s city centre, will create a sought-after development which is set to improve the area’s residential offering.”
Stephen Hodder, chairman of architectural practice Hodder + Partners, said: “We were delighted to be selected for this project.
“The building, its height and form, reinforces its gateway location. The materials, whilst necessarily robust, seek to capture and reflect the beautiful light in the estuary. Additionally, consideration of the public realm has been paramount so as to support pedestrian connections from Leeds Street to the city centre.”