Liverpool councillors back revived Chinatown development

The new scheme will see seven buildings built on the site

Plans to develop a Liverpool site left derelict following the collapse of a regeneration scheme have been approved, despite objections from church leaders.

Councillors backed the £170m Great George Street Project, which will see seven buildings erected near Chinatown.

Developers said it would "revitalise" the area, but the city's Anglican diocese said it would obscure an important view of Liverpool Cathedral.

A previous plan stalled when the original backer hit financial problems.

The new plan has proposed seven buildings be built, ranging in height from two to 18-storeys and comprising a combination of town houses, apartments and office space.

The scheme includes leisure facilities and the creation of a new park. It will also see the retention of the Grade II listed former North and South Wales Bank on Great George Place.

City planners said the new scheme will not obscure the silhouette of Liverpool Cathedral

Opposing the plan, the Bishop of Warrington, the Right Reverend Beverley Mason said the development's tallest tower would obscure the view of the cathedral on St James's Mount from the city's waterfront.

She said it should be visible as it was "part of the fabric of the city's skyline".

However, the city's planners said they were satisfied the development still allowed the cathedral's silhouette "to dominate the city".

Neal Hunter, chief executive officer for the project, said it was "a challenging and complex site, with historic issues from a number of previous failed schemes, which could have blighted this project altogether".

However, he said the project had "worked closely with the planning department at Liverpool City Council to deliver a scheme that will create a quality neighbourhood".

The site has been abandoned for three years since the collapse of The 'New Chinatown Project' in September 2016.