Is this the most beautiful feature window in Southport?
It is an eye-catching part of a striking 120-year-old Grade II building on the Lord Street boulevard in Southport whose upper floors are being transformed into new apartments.
It is part of a growing trend of developers bringing empty upper floors in Southport town centre back into use for families to move into.
Moving more people into these historic old buildings is bringing greater footfall for local shops, bars and restaurants and a new vibrancy and vitality into the area.
The latest scheme involved repurposing the second and third floors at 355-357 Lord Street, above the Lakeland Leather shop, into three new one-bedroom flats.
Built in 1901, it is one of the most eye-catching and beautiful buildings in the Lord Street Conservation Area, and contains a number of historic features.
Among them sits proudly in the large room on the third floor; a large semi-circular window with single glazed square glass panels with leadwork decoration.
The verandah outside the building was added in 1925.
The design work is being carried out by David Machell Architecture Ltd, which has its office on Lord Street in Southport.
Director & Lead Architect David Machell said: “In and amongst the day to day drawing work, admin and just generally running a business, it’s quite easy to forget about some of the amazing historic buildings we are surrounded by that can often go unnoticed as we go about our day.
“The practice has just submitted a Planning Application for this Grade II listed property on the historic Lord Street in Southport to provide three flats located in the heart of the town centre.
“A key feature of this building is this stunning five metre wide semi-circular arched window facing onto Southport’s main boulevard. The space has so much future potential.
“The building is 355-357 Lord Street and the application relates to the top two floors above Lakeland Leather, the ground and first floor will remain as Lakeland Leather. The building is Grade II listed and a large existing flat already exists in the space.
“The general proposal is to reconfigure and renovate the existing layout to suit three new flats.”
Mr Machell believes the growing practice of providing new residential or hotel accommodation in Southport town centre is bringing huge benefits to the area.
Work is nearly complete on providing nine new apartments in the building on the corner of Lord Street and Bold Street; work on converting the upper floors of the former BHS building into 30 new aparthotel rooms is due to start this September; work is taking place to convert the former Falstaff pub on King Street into new apartments; while plans are also progressing at the former Garrick Theatre on Lord Street and the former Debenhams building on Lord Street.
In the planning application for 355-357 Lord Street, David Machell wrote: “A number of planning applications have come forward in recent years to improve the residential amenity on offer in Southport town centre and Lord Street in particular.
“This is important in improving the density of the town core as well as bringing vibrancy to the town centre later into the day – a key aim of the Southport Development Framework and Lord Street and Promenade Conservation Area Management Plan.
“Overall it is felt that the proposal positively contributes to the Listed building, Lord Street Conservation Area and townscape in general.”
- For more details about David Machell Architecture Ltd. please visit: David Machell Architecture Ltd. – Home (dm-a.co.uk) or email: contact@dm-a.co.uk or call: 07376 960 709.
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