A landmark building in Liverpool is set to undergo a significant refit as a city centre hotel in a £12m scheme.Planning permission has been granted to Ashall Property Ltd for the conversion of the Royal Insurance Building on North John Street.
The scheme, designed by Liverpool architects Falconer Chester Hall, will see the Grade 2* Listed property become a 116-bed hotel with a ground floor restaurant and bar.
Impressive original features such as the openness of the ground floor General Office will be retained through a sympathetic conversion and use of furniture that has minimal impact and maintains visibility of the whole space including the ornamental ceiling.
The property has been disused for some time and on the national `Buildings at Risk’ register. The conversion will re-animate and preserve an architecturally significant building which, for many years, was a cornerstone of the city’s business life.
An assessment of the plans by historic buildings advisor Peter De Figueiredo concluded: “The proposals for repair and conservation will bring major public benefits and enhance the present state of the building.”
Roger Williams of Preston Brook-based investment and development company Ashall Property Ltd commented: “To bring back to life this iconic Liverpool building will require careful and well co-ordinated construction works. FCH have designed a scheme fitting of the building’s history and we are delighted to be the developer of this superb building which will provide a top quality niche hotel and meeting destination for the city.”
Work on the conversion is expected to start in December 2012 with completion around December 2013.
