Planning Application

The first PSDA planning application was submitted in January 2001.  A revised application was submitted in February 2004 showing changes to the South West corner of the PSDA scheme.

It was a hybrid application, outline for the entire development area and in detail for those parts of the area that are in the Conservation Area or adjacent to Listed Buildings.

The scope of the Application was agreed beforehand with the Local Planning Authority and where relevant, with English Heritage.  Grosvenor also took Counsel’s advice.

The Application included a “Masterplan Report” that was in three parts: the first explains the principles; the second is the plans for which consent is sought; and the third part is illustrative material which Grosvenor anticipated would be covered by conditions; to give the Planning Authority the necessary controls and Grosvenor the necessary flexibility.

A separate “Conservation Area and Listed Buildings Report” described the five groups of buildings, nine buildings in all, that had already been designed in sufficient detail for full planning, listed building and conservation area consents.  In accordance with the principles of variety and quality set out in the Masterplan Report, different firms of architects were appointed to develop these designs, working to design briefs set by the masterplanning team.

The “Environmental Statement” covered economic, transport, environmental and construction assessments.

The Economic Assessment by Drivers Jonas concluded that there will be sufficient comparison goods expenditure to support the PSDA Development as a result of forecast growth in comparison expenditure in the catchment area and the increase in market share that will result from implementation of the Masterplan.

Drivers Jonas estimated that Liverpool City Centre’s share of town centre comparison goods expenditure will increase from 17% to 24%.

PLANNING CONSIDERATION

Towards the end of 2002 the Council’s Planning Committee approved this Planning Application that had been carefully prepared on the basis of the Council’s planning framework and brief – after very wide consultations with stakeholders and with other interested groups; with the statutory and national consultees; and with the general public.

The planning approval was subject to the Deputy Prime Minister’s confirmation; and to the exchange of a Section 106 Agreement requiring Grosvenor to make financial contributions to the highways and to city centre management and other public costs.

At the end of 2002 the Deputy Prime Minister decided that because Grosvenor’s planning application complied with policy and had such wide support, there was no need to have another Planning Inquiry.

The Council and Grosvenor then signed the Section 106 Agreement.

These two events enabled the Planning Authority to formally approve the Grosvenor Planning Application on 23 December 2002.

REVISED PLANNING APPLICATION

A revised planning application was submitted in February 2004 .  This was in effect a re-submission of the previous application, with revised siting and building information for the South West corner of the PSDA.