The Watson

Woods Bagot have submitted plans to Liverpool’s city planners to revive and extend a Grade II listed building into a four star-plus hotel.

The Watson building and neighbouring former Rapid Hardware paint shop, were acquired by Central Regeneration Limited Partnership, a joint venture comprising Merepark and Irish developer Ballymore, in late 2007.

The proposal would see the 70,000ft2 Watson building extended onto the site of the former Rapid Hardware paint shop to form a 170,000ft2, 180 bedroom, four star-plus hotel designed by Woods Bagot.   An international hotel operator has already been secured.

If approved, the developers would rejuvenate the mainly unoccupied Watson building, making full use of the existing seven floors and adding a further two floors.

Stephan C Reinke, Managing Director of Woods Bagot, commented: “The plans for this culturally significant site are all about the business of place making.  Designing a quality hotel is integral to regeneration, as attracting tourists to Central Village would allow the location to develop as a truly mixed use scheme for Liverpool.

“Merepark and Woods Bagot are committed to regenerating this important part of the city - the urban fabric of this site where Ropewalks and Mount Pleasant meet at the historic Newington Crossing dates back as far as the late 1700s. The architectural composition that is part of this planning proposal plays on the classical ordering of the adjacent building with an exuberant 21st Century companion.”

Ian Jones, director of Merepark, commented: “We have developed a scheme which responds well to the local surroundings and provides another dynamic link to Central Village. Sustainability is at the centre of our vision and we’re confident that this proposal, combined with our plans for the Lewis’s building and Central Village, will result in an exciting mixed-use quarter that brings new purpose and opportunity to the city.”

www.woodsbagot.co.uk