The land has been empty for a number of years now
Empty land on Strand Street/James Street junction in Liverpool(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
A new hotel is set to transform a vacant part of land along Liverpool’s waterfront. Premier Inn is planning on taking over the space formerly home to Kingston House, a 1960s office block with Cooper’s Pub and the Figure Factory gym at its ground floor, along the strand.
The ECHO previously reported that, in 2019, developers Marshall CDP shared plans for a luxury hotel on the corner of James Street and The Strand in Liverpool city centre. West Yorkshire-based Marshall said they wanted to create a “landmark hotel” that would reflect the importance of the location on the city’s “world famous skyline.”
CGIs drawn up by architect Studio MUTT indicated that the building would be composed of two blocks of different colours, varying in height between seven and 10 storeys. The land was bought for £2.75m by Yorkshire-based West Quarter Limited, part of the Marshall group, in 2017.
Plans for the future came after a tumultuous few years for the site, which saw it used as a “pocket park,” becoming the subject of a row, and a rogue car park. The proposed hotel was hoped to begin a new chapter for the troubled site, which had been one of the city’s most prominent empty sites.
The council had to clear the site(Image: Liverpool Echo)
However, years after the plans were shared, the site remained empty and fenced off. The latest update came when a blue notice was found by the ECHO on the site. It said that an application has been made by “Whitbread Group Pic to the licensing authority of Liverpool City Council for a premises licence for the Premier Inn (Proposed) at Former Kingston House Site, James Street/The Strand, Liverpool”.
The application sought was for the sale of alcohol between certain times. The Liverpool ECHO has asked Whitbread Group, the owner of Premier Inn, and Liverpool City Council for a comment for this article. The license was granted on December 13, 2025.
Marshall CDP has worked on projects involving Whitbread brands in the region, including the Liverpool North Premier Inn, which received a 33-bedroom extension.
In the early 2000s, ambitious plans for a striking luxury apartment block were drawn up for the plot of land. Designs for the block featured blue and copper-coloured panels, with spires built on top.
However, those plans never came to fruition. After Kingston House’s demolition, the land was bought by developer Langtree from the government’s Homes and Communities Agency.
In March 2014, when Langtree bought the site, its chief executive, John Downes, said: “We will work closely with Liverpool City Council to create a building which reflects the new Liverpool we have all seen grow in the last decade.”
An artists impression of a luxury apartment tower that was planned for the Kingston House site on the corner of James Street and The Strand in 2001(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
However, the land then became the centre of a battle between Liverpool City Council and Langtree. In June 2014, the council put a temporary “pocket park” on the land in time for the International Festival of Business.
Turf was laid, and small trees were planted at no cost to Langtree. But the ECHO previously revealed that Langtree was demanding up to £1,000 a week from the council to rent the land. It said that the council had “occupied” the land without permission.
The council had to clear the site, and Euro Car Parks stepped in to run it as a car park. The land was then locked up in February 2015.
In February 2017, the ECHO revealed that West Quarter had bought the land for £2.75m. In November of that year, the ECHO then confronted staff at a “rogue flyparking” car park, which had set up shop on the land.
The car park was operating without permission, and we attempted to speak to two men who were operating it. Neither would speak to us and both ran away and covered their faces.
Artist impression of how a new waterfront hotel at the former Kingston House site would look from Mann Island
The car park was shut down later that month. In the days after its closure, vehicles belonging to remediation firm Core were working on the site.
A spokesperson from Core said: “We have been instructed by Marshalls to erect secure hoardings around the perimeter of the site – at The Strand’s junction with James Street – to prevent any further unauthorised access.
“This will be completed by November 15. The work is being carried out in agreement with the local council.”
In April 2019, the ECHO reported Marshall’s intentions with the site after it submitted a planning application to Liverpool City Council. The plans were revised – the planned hotel would feature 168 rooms and a bar and a restaurant on the ground floor. Planning permission was granted in full in April 2020.
It isn’t the only change happening at James Street. This week, it was confirmed a new café would be coming to James Street Station. You can read more about it here.
