Proposals to demolish a former car showroom in Southport and replace it with a block of apartments has been refused by Sefton Council.
L&C Developments had applied to demolish the former Oldfield’s garage at 2A Queens Road in Southport and replace it with a four storey building comprising up to 12 apartments and associated car parking.
They submitted an outline planning application for Sefton Council to determine, with the matters of appearance and landscaping reserved for future consideration.
Sefton has not yet published its reasons why it has refused the scheme.
Details were submitted to the council by FOB Architecture on behalf of L&C Developments.
Oldfield’s Automobiles closed and was put up for sale in 2022 after an illustrious career which
saw many thousands of people buy their cars from the local independent family-owned firm.
Oldfield’s can trace its history in Southport all the way back to the early 1900s, when George
Oldfield ran a horse and cart business on Stanley Street and then Gordon Street in Southport.
The family moved to their present site on Queens Road in the 1950s, at a time when there was
a sewing machine factory to the rear of the land and a small garage, including a petrol filling
station, to the front. They developed it into a car showroom in 1954.
The plans for a new residential scheme on the land called for mixed residential development, predominantly terraces and villa-style properties.
The building heights were ranging from 2–4 storeys, with some taller mixed-use buildings closer to the centre.
They shared how the site is not within a Conservation Area, although conservation areas exist nearby.
They added that the site is previously developed (brownfield) land which was used for many years as a car showroom and garages.
The area is in a very sustainable location close to bus routes, shops, services and Southport rail station, just a short walk from Southport town centre.
In their submission, they said that their design aims to:
- Regenerate a brownfield site with a high-quality residential building.
- Respect and reinforce the existing street character, particularly building height, rhythm and materiality.
- Deliver sustainable, energy-efficient homes in line with emerging low-carbon expectations.
- Ensure inclusive access for all users.
- Provide appropriate parking, cycle storage and servicing while promoting sustainable travel.
- Enhance the immediate streetscape through a well-proportioned, well-detailed contemporary building
The development proposed approximately 12 residential apartments in 2 blocks around a central staircase and lift vertical circulation.
The building would provide a mix of 1-bed studio and 2-bed apartments, each meeting the Nationally Described Space Standards.
In their submission, they said: “This new-build apartment proposal represents a sustainable, well-designed, and contextually appropriate redevelopment of a brownfield site on Queens Road, Southport.
“The outline scheme makes efficient use of land, provides needed new homes, respects neighbouring context, enhances the street scene, and supports sustainable travel and low-carbon design.”
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