Plans to demolish university halls for new housing

Carnatic Halls of Residence have been empty since 2019

University halls of residence which have been empty for five years could be demolished to make way for 160 homes.

Liverpool City Council has received plans to knock down the University of Liverpool Carnatic halls in Mossley Hill, Liverpool.

They officially opened in 1964 but have been sitting empty since 2019.

Developer Bellway Homes wants to bulldoze the five vacant buildings, which a planning statement described as "of very poor quality".

'Unique opportunity'

The company is bidding to build 162 homes, including five apartment blocks of one-bedroom and two-bed apartments.

It also wants to build houses with between three and five bedrooms.

The report said: “The (existing) buildings vary in height and are predominantly concrete and brick buildings.

"None of the buildings on site are designated as listed buildings.

"However, the site is located within the Mossley Hill Conservation Area.”

It added the redevelopment of the site provides “a unique opportunity to regenerate a prominent and vacant brownfield site”, and that the present condition is "detracting from the character of the conservation area”.

'Better design outcome'

Carnatic Halls opened in 1964 on the site of an 18th century mansion of the same name, which was demolished the same year the university accommodation was built.

The University of Liverpool closed the buildings in June 2019 as part of a decade-long accommodation strategy.

Concerns were raised last year when Bellway wanted to chop down a series of trees around the boundary of the site.

Under the fresh plans, a minimum of 146 off-road parking spaces would be included.

In a design statement response note, Bellway said: “We are confident the revised proposals have responded positively to all of the reasonable and coherent feedback received and achieve an even better design outcome for the site.”

A date for the council to consider the application has not been confirmed.