The use of external glass balustrades in the UK has become more prominent in recent years as the number of modern apartment blocks in towns and cities has skyrocketed, especially in and around city centres such as Manchester, which used to be sparsely populated.

Much the same could be said about Liverpool, but new apartments have also appeared in increasing numbers, as part of ongoing efforts to produce urban renewal.

The latest example of this will be a major new development in the Pumpfields District, where the £110 million Metalworks Residential scheme will provide 396 apartments and five penthouses. The scheme has just gained planning permission.

A notable feature of the design that can be seen from the architects’ images is the rooftop gardens, which are bounded by glass balustrades to give an uninterrupted view from their lofty vantage point across the city and the River Mersey.

This aspect highlights some of the key priorities that modern developments like this are aimed at. One of the aims of the project has been to provide the sort of attractive homes that could prompt more skilled people to continue residing in the city instead of moving elsewhere.

Chair of the planning committee on Liverpool City Council Cllr Tom Cardell highlighted this point, saying it could stop a “brain drain” from the city.

It is not just in residential schemes that the use of external glass balustrades is increasingly evident. Another case in point is the redeveloped Stockport Bus Station, which opened last year. A notable feature of the site is the rooftop park next to a new apartment building, with the balustrades again providing the outer safety barrier for those visiting the park.

The design is intended not just to provide better facilities for bus passengers, but more public open space in an area where several residential developments are planned.