Hospital site homes plan 'potentially harmful', heritage group says

Plans for 59 retirement apartments, 31 houses and eight supported living apartments have been submitted

Plans to build retirement homes on the former site of a children's hospital have been branded "potentially harmful" by a heritage group.

An application to build 98 homes on the former site of Alder Hey Hospital on Alder Road in Liverpool has been submitted to the council.

Community group, West Derby Society, said the proposal was "inappropriate".

Developer McCarthy Stone said the retirement apartments would be "a positive addition" to the community.

The wrangle between the Knotty Ash community and the hospital over Springfield Park has continued since a land exchange agreement with Liverpool City Council made in 2012, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

When the original plans were submitted for the old demolished Alder Hey site, almost 500 objections were lodged with the city council.

West Derby Society says the retirement flats could cause "noise and nuisance" for Ronald McDonald House

Step Places and McCarthy Stone have scaled back an original plan to build four five-storey apartment blocks.

The new plan is seeking approval to build 59 retirement apartments, 31 houses and eight supported living apartments.

'Passive neighbours'

Stephen Guy of West Derby Society said the new proposals would cause "potential noise and nuisance" for neighbouring hospital building, Ronald McDonald House, which provides accommodation to families of seriously ill children receiving care and treatment at Alder Hey hospital.

"If the application is approved, Ronald McDonald House will stand cheek by jowl with 59 so-called retirement apartments and 31 houses, all with gardens and grounds," he said.

"There will be little or no control over who lives in them. Presumably no-one under the age of 55 will be able to buy one of the McCarthy Stone apartments.

"There will be no other restrictions."

But a spokesman for McCarthy Stone said residents in Retirement Living developments "tend to be passive neighbours" compared to a similar number of "family housing" homes.

He added that a pre-application consultation in 2022 identified support for the scheme, particularly from those wanting to downsize.

The development would release family homes in the area for young people, bring economic benefits to the high street and regenerate the brownfield site, he added.

Mr Guy said the group had no objection to additional hospital development but residents did not want additional housing.

The specialist children's hospital opened its new healthcare campus in 2015 on land within Springfield Park and was given permission to build on green space.

The BBC has contacted Step Places for a response.