Designs have been unveiled for a 70-storey tower set to become the centrepiece of the £1bn Kings development on Liverpool’s waterfront.

The landmark building, designed by SimpsonHaugh, will combine a five-star hotel with luxury residential apartments managed by the hotel operator.

The reveal comes only weeks after the project’s first building, a 28-storey tower known as No. 1 Kings, secured planning approval from Liverpool City Council.

Demolition work on the site is expected to begin this spring for Davos Property Developments Limited, working in partnership with Beetham Davos Ltd.

Hugh Frost, chairman of Beetham Davos, described the tower as the defining feature of the wider scheme.

He said it would represent the ultimate expression of the company’s confidence in Liverpool, supported by the city council’s backing for the ambitious waterfront development.

The lower 23 floors of the building will be occupied by a five-star hotel offering 212 high-specification rooms. Above this, the tower will house 563 luxury residences.

Facilities for guests and residents will include bars, restaurants, gymnasiums, banqueting and meeting spaces, as well as a rooftop terrace.

At 727ft tall, the tower would become the tallest building in Liverpool. The current record holder is the nearby West Tower, developed by Beetham in 2007, which stands at 459ft.

Frost said the development would benefit from Liverpool’s growing cruise tourism sector.

He noted that 135 cruise ships are scheduled to visit Liverpool during the 2026 season, with numbers expected to increase once the new cruise terminal is completed and the landing stage extended to allow two ships to berth at the same time.

According to Frost, many cruise passengers are likely to seek luxury accommodation in the city before or after their journeys, creating demand for a high-end hotel offering similar standards to those experienced on board.

The 70-storey building forms part of a wider masterplan that could see up to ten buildings developed across the Kings site.

The emerging plans are expected to go out to public consultation later this spring, ahead of a planning application anticipated in late summer.

The hybrid application will seek detailed consent for the overall layout and site infrastructure, alongside outline consent for individual building plots. The wider development could include residential towers, two hotels, Grade A office space, a new arts venue, shared workspaces for start-ups and technology businesses, and a variety of food and drink outlets.

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