More investment is on its way for historic Lord Street in Southport, after plans were submitted to restore another two historic buildings.
A planning application has been submitted to change the use of 343 – 345 Lord Street from a vacant commercial unit to three flats on the upper floors and a cafe on the ground floor, together with a new shopfront for 339 – 341 Lord Street and 343 – 345 Lord Street.
The plans have been submitted to Sefton Council by Crafts & Sons, which is also creating a climbing gym at 343 – 345 Lord Street.
The plans have been drawn up on their behalf by Westby Architecture, who said: “343 – 345 Lord Street is part of a wider group of buildings known as Albany Buildings, which stands prominently on Lord Street. It was designed by Architect EW Johnson and built in 1884. “Originally the property was the premises of J Hatch, Sons and Fielding auctioneer, known as Albany Galleries.
“343 – 345 had been vacant for a long time. Consequently, through serious water ingress, it has become derelict and suffers rot and mould. It needs repairing. The building has 5 storeys including a basement.
“It is proposed to convert the three upper floors into three flats (three flat per floor) and convert the ground floor into a café that is accessed via the Climbing Gym.
“The work required to change the listed building into residential will cause negligible impact to the building’s integrity, consisting primarily of repair and restoration work. Most of the internal features can be repaired and preserved due to the design being sympathetic to the structural elements and original features of the building.
“The opening times for the cafe are: 7.30am – 10pm.
“The new use class would bring permanent jobs to the local community. It is expected to provide employment for the following: 2 chefs 2 front of house staff .
“The front elevation’s structural elements are in great condition, as one can expect given the expert craftsmanship of the building and solid Gothic stonework.
“The veranda, one of Lord Street’s distinguishing features, is in fair condition but some of the glazing panels have cracked and need replacing (it also needs painting).
“The main issue to the front exterior is the flaking paintwork to the window frames. This will be scraped off and the timberwork repaired and repainted where necessary.
“The windows to the front elevation are in good condition, the frames will be treated where required, and repainted white.
“The 2 bullseye windows on the 3rd floor, which have been blocked internally, will be reinstated with glass. The windows on the rear will also be restored where and side will also be restored where possible. Any windows that are beyond repair will be replaced like-for-like.
“Historic England identified Southport’s Lord Street conservation area as ‘at risk’. They published their findings on Historic England’s national heritage at risk register in 2014.
“They effectively conclude that the risk is due to neglect – loss of historic detail, inappropriate changes, large numbers of vacancies within the historic buildings, derelict sites, lack of maintenance and the poor condition of the public realm. Moreover, individual structures such as the cast iron verandas on Lord Street suffer from disrepair due to a lack of repair and maintenance.
“The proposals will conserve the character of the building by retaining and repairing its historic features. The design does not propose any major external changes.
“The proposed use would secure the long-term viability of the existing vacant unit and ensure the upkeep and maintenance of the building. This will help to maintain the attractiveness of the site contributing positively towards the borough’s local distinctiveness.
“The conversion of the vacant listed building will add to the regeneration of Lord Street and prevent further deterioration of its heritage assets. It will preserve and enhance the character of the conservation area and improve the local area by providing a vibrant and economically viable business. The building will be restored by the Craft family.
“Sefton’s local plan aims to improve ‘the declining high street.’ Bringing life back into one of Lord Street’s historically significant buildings will help contribute to Southport’s economy.”
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