The development site that was set to contain Liverpool's tallest building, a skyscraper soaring to 50 storeys high, has been put up for sale.
The Ovatus I and II prospective residential development scheme on Old Hall Street has been put on the market by commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield.
The Ovatus II project was hoped to become the city's highest, towering above all other structures at 50 storeys, featuring 530 apartments.
That would mean it becoming 480ft tall, eight storeys higher than the city's current tallest, the nearby West Tower - officially making it a skyscraper.
The Ovatus I site has planning permission from Liverpool City Council, for a 168-apartment block built over 27 storeys.
The two towers would replace the current mirrored glass data centre at the corner of Old Hall Street, neighbouring Kier's £200m Pall Mall scheme.
Giovanni Pilla, senior surveyor at Cushman & Wakefield, said: “‘We are pleased to have launched these prime residential sites.
"Ovatus I and II present an opportunity for a developer to create stunning landmarks in Liverpool City Centre, which will bring new levels of high-quality residential accommodation to the city.’’
The firm is inviting offers on the sites, which are available separately or together by way of negotiation, but the asking price has not been revealed.
The three storey-high building on the corner of Old Hall Street, well known to motorists, was built in the 1980s by the Moores family for its Littlewoods empire.
Martin Wilcocks of financial advisory firm Wilcocks and Wilcocks and Craig Blackwell of investment firm Prospect Capital Holdings, announced in 2016 that they were teaming up to buy the 122 Old Hall Street site, including the Shop Direct data centre. They revealed plans for the towers the next year.
They said at the time that the double tower project had been fully funded, adding that work on the first tower could start as early as April, subject to planning permission.
A public consultation over the plans for Ovatus II was launched in May 2018.
Speaking on behalf of 122 Old Hall Street, the development vehicle behind the plans, Mr Wilcocks said: "We initially bought the property as an investment opportunity but were always mindful of the high profile nature of this gateway site and the scope for a really impressive development.
"We have achieved planning permission for this flagship scheme and are now seeking a site sale or development partnership to take this forward."
