Plans to transform a historic former Woolton convent and children’s home into a luxury residential development will still go ahead despite a devastating fire.

A major blaze at the Beaconsfield Road site of the former St Gabriel’s Convent last September had placed the future of the ambitious scheme in some doubt.

However Sam Beilin and Partners Ltd (SBPL), which acts for site owner St Gabriels (Liverpool) Ltd, has now confirmed to Your Move that work on-site is expected to get underway later this year.

Developer St Gabriels was awarded planning permission by for the scheme last June by Liverpool City Council.

The proposals included the conversion of the Grade II-listed Manor House into seven apartments alongside the creation of 15 new houses across the 2.7-acre plot, as well as the erection of a new build block of 24 flats in place of the ‘German Wing’ extension to the Manor House.

The main house was built in 1828 by Thomas Foster.

Despite the planning permission, it’s now expected the Manor House will more than likely be restored into a single home.

SBPL has revealed that last year’s fire affected the German Wing extension, which was set to be demolished anyway as part the redevelopment plans.

Despite the absence of fire damage to the Manor House, work on the building has been considerably delayed due to vandalism and damage caused by thieves.

Sam Beilin of SBPL says: “At the present time our project managers are working through the planning conditions in order to implement the planning approval and they hope to have this exercise concluded by the end of October 2017.

“Work will then commence on the scheme which comprises luxury houses and apartments and restoration of the Manor House, Lodge House and Orangery.”

How part of the scheme could look.

Built in 1828, the three-storey Manor House, then known at Knolle Park, was acquired in the early 1900s and initially operated by a Roman Catholic order of German nuns as a children’s home.

When the First World War broke out in 1914, the German sisters returned to their homeland and were replaced by The Poor Servants of the Mother of God. A number of additions were made to the site during the 1960s and 70s including the creation of a series of outbuildings and extensions.

The convent was finally closed for good in the last decade.

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