Neptune Developments has received approval for a £39 million regeneration scheme in Liverpool after the Court of Appeal rejected a legal challenge against the project.

The redevelopment of Lime Street will proceed after a bid by SAVE Britain's Heritage to overturn planning permission was dismissed.

The charity claimed the city council had breached planning guidance by failing to notify the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) as well as UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.

However Judges agreed with the original ruling in January 2016 that the city council had acted appropriately.

The scheme involves transforming the eastern side of the street for mixed-use including commercial, retail and leisure uses.

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The project is fully funded and secured planning approval in September 2015.

Steve Parry, Managing Director of Neptune Developments, 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.

"In essence SAVE have been campaigning  to retain buildings that are beyond economic repair without ever seriously considering whether this could be achieved and have tried to link Lime Street to the concerns about our World Heritage status even though this scheme actually has a beneficial impact on the World Heritage Site.

"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."

(LM/CD)