Work on regenerating Lime Street will go ahead as planned after appeals by heritage campaigners were rejected.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal from Save Britain’s Heritage over Neptune Developments’ planned £39 million scheme for the city centre gateway.
An appeal was lodged against January’s original ruling in efforts to save the exterior of the former Futurist cinema, currently in an increased state of disrepair.
Speaking after the ruling, Neptune’s managing director Steve Parry said: “This series of legal challenges have cost more than £2 million and have been a monumental waste of money and time for all those involved.
“More importantly it has been a wasted opportunity to get on with a much needed piece of regeneration creating jobs and opportunities for the people of Liverpool and removing the dereliction that blights this gateway to Liverpool.
“The new high quality facades of Lime Street will have a depiction of the Futurist and Lime Street in its heyday and we are pressing on with the planning of the ABC to lift both sides of the street and create a fitting entrance to our city.
“It really is time now to move on and get on with remaking one of our most important streets.”