North West property firm CERT is gearing up to start on-site at Centric, an office to residential scheme in Liverpool’s commercial district.

Centric will offer “high-quality, central urban living spaces” with 46 “thoughtfully designed” one and two-bed apartments, featuring a resident community lounge, secure underground parking and bike-storage provision.

Howard Lord, managing director and founder of CERT, says: “We’ve been active in the Liverpool commercial market for several years, with our highly successful creative and tech hub, Elevator Studios, and our award-winning restoration and letting of Duke & Parr.

“We have operated Centric as serviced offices for a number of years and with the pandemic affecting occupancy, the opportunity arose to look to extend our residential expertise into Liverpool to reinvigorate Centric.”

CERT’s contractors have been confirmed as Truman Design & Build, which recently completed the Molo Hotel scheme on Duke Street. Truman is due to take possession of the Moorfields site during the second week of September to commence works, which are expected to complete within a year.

Planning permission for the redevelopment of Centric was granted under permitted development rights, extended earlier in the year by the previous government. CERT submitted a planning application which included a partial roof extension of the property, which was turned down by Liverpool City Council in June.

Viability constraints meant that the scheme could not provide any affordable homes, a justification that Liverpool’s viability consultants and planning team had accepted, but the committee rejected.

Lord adds: “Planning reform is a hot topic, with, in our view, the viability process being something requiring specific focus from Labour’s newly formed Government to help the process run smoothly and ensure housing targets are met.

“Our residential track record in Manchester speaks for itself with our commitment to deliver contemporary and desirable places to live, with this same approach applied to our first residential venture in Liverpool.”

Enabl is advising on the planning consultancy and acting as the quantity surveyor on CERT’s Centric scheme.

Centric will be operated by CERT’s in-house property management team when it completes in 2025.

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