Plans for a new landmark hotel on Liverpool’s waterfront have been branded "ugly" and “devoid of any character and soul”.
Developers Marshall Holdings want to transform the former Kingston House Site at the junction of James Street/The Strand, into a “landmark hotel” that “reflects the importance of the location on the city's world famous skyline".
If approved, the building would take pride of place next to many of the city’s most famous buildings, including the Liver Building, Albert Dock and Mann Island.
Planning documents said the hotel would have colonnades on the entrance to “give the sense of grandeur” and would feature two different coloured blocks between seven and 10 storeys high.
But artist impressions of how this would look left many Liverpool Echo readers less than impressed, with some suggesting it is "not worthy of the location".
Responding to the story, Echo reader Collin Kirby said on Facebook: “Looks like another load of cheap tat. Where’s the style ?”
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Paula Newnes said: “So by their own admission [we] already have a ‘world famous’ skyline, so they want their hotel name boosted by being part of it whilst continue to destroy that said skyline?”
Bev Dulson said the building “looks like an eye sore” , while others described it as "ugly" and "hideous".
Echo reader Frank Cookson said: “Why are these new building so devoid of any character, any soul? It looks in keeping with the building to its right but reinforces that building's incongruous appearance with the White Star building to it's left. The rule should be if they want to be part of the finest skyline in the world then build something worthy of the location.”
The site has been vacant for almost ten years, since the demolition of Kingston House in 2010.
The empty patch of land is out of character for the surrounding area which includes several Grade II listed buildings and tourist destinations.
In 2017 it was bought for an eye-watering £2.75m by Yorkshire-based West Quarter Limited, who are part of the Marshall Holdings group, whose developments include Manchester’s 5-star Hotel Gotham.
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Some people questioned the need for a hotel at the site - suggesting housing or offices would be better.
Brian F Shaw said: “Hotels, hotels, hotels... What about houses, houses, houses? Places for people to live, affordable homes, NOT more and more hotels for those with money passing through."
Van Der Voort Martijn said: “If anything they should build a few huge skyscrapers like The Shard etc."
City Centre Councillor Nick Small also weighed in on the debate.
He tweeted: "Iconic sites deserve iconic buildings, but architecturally this is uninspiring and insipid, especially when compared with @30JamesSt next door. Yes, this site needs to be developed, but with a higher quality design than this."
In their design and access statement, developers have justified the design of the building by saying it is in keeping with the character of the area and nearby buildings.
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They also said a hotel would supplement Liverpool's "booming" tourism industry while providing "significant" new employment of around 120 full-time jobs.
The employment figures are based on similar sized developments that have been undertaken by Marshall Holdings, and excludes the extra jobs that will be created during construction and in the supply chain of the hotel.
And while many people were not impressed, others had more positive things to say.
Gavin Murray said: "Love it. Liverpool blends the old and the new very well. A city on the up and it has been for a while."
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Ricardo Wright III said: "There's never too much of anything in a major city. Hotels = tourism = money = business = employment = demand for more housing. Everything helps the local economy and it may not be in the order you like but Liverpool is on the up."
