The team behind an independent live music venue have renewed calls for support over fears the business is at “threat of closure” due to plans for a nearby residential development.
Meraki, based in the North Docks, launched a campaign earlier this year after the news a planning application was being prepared to convert the Bonded Tea Warehouse into more than 200 apartments. A formal application for planning permission has now been submitted by ELG Planning on behalf of County Durham-based property firm Mandale Homes.
The new development, if approved, would be situated on Dickson Street, less than 10 metres away from Meraki - a venue that regularly hosts live and electronic music events. The team behind the venue believe development would have a detrimental impact on the longevity of Meraki due to the potential of future residents making noise complaints.
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Tom Hearn, director of Meraki, told the ECHO: "Residential and commercial nightlife premises is a hard one to mix unless it's done right. None of us are opposed to development. It needs to happen. We just don't believe this development is suitable in its current form."
Meraki is now asking its supporters to make a formal representation on the venue’s behalf through Liverpool City Council’s planning portal. The venue hopes Liverpool City Council will enforce its agent of change principle - adopted in 2019 - as a means of protecting its future from the impacts of the new developments.
The venue is also making the case that acoustic surveys - tests to see how much surrounding noise would impact the new development - were carried out while Meraki was closed. The team behind the venue said this means “an accurate, real-world reflection of the noise within the vicinity of the proposed development” has not been provided.
The venue’s statement added: "Subsequently, any suggested alterations to the development to mitigate noise issues at present do not take into account the existence of its neighbouring live music venue and are as a result deemed unfit for purpose."
The developer’s planning statement acknowledges the presence of Meraki in the local vicinity and, after community consultation, notes that adjustments have been made to the southern elevation of its design - including enhanced glazing and mechanical ventilation. The developer’s statement adds: “These measures are considered necessary to ensure that a high standard of amenity is afforded for future residents, while being amenable with existing business in the locality.”
In the noise impacts assessment taken on behalf of the developer, which acknowledged they were taken while Meraki was closed, it states that should further surveys “identify any significant sound from the nearby commercial premises, it is proposed that the façade sound insulation strategy is revised and upgraded where necessary.”
A spokesperson for ELG Planning added: "The design team are very aware of the issues raised by Meraki, indeed we have been discussing direct with the club and its advisors and have agreed to undertake additional surveys in conjunction with the venue. These additional reports will be undertaken once we have received feedback on the planning application itself.
"To date we have receive very little feedback from the Council, in spite of the submission of a pre-application enquiry, so we are waiting for some meaningful engagement with the planning department prior to commissioning additional reports. Our clients have undertaken many regeneration projects across the country and are well aware of the issues of noise and are experienced at delivering suitable mitigation.
"We will continue to work with Meraki should the Council indicate that it is keen to see this listed building refurbished. Should the Council indicate that the building is only to be used for industrial/storage uses it is unlikely to receive any investment in the near future and a derelict building will have a greater impact on the wider area as opposed to an operational issue with the music venue."
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