The British government has officially approved plans for a major redevelopment effort on Merseyside after a lengthy consultation and application process.
The Liverpool Waters project will substantially increase the stock of office space available in the North West of England and is expected to create thousands of jobs in the region.
According to the Peel Group, the business behind the endeavour and several other massive mixed-use development projects in the North West, planning work began in 2007. In addition to hundreds of thousands of square feet of new offices, the project is set to deliver substantial residential, leisure, services, and retail facilities.
Areas earmarked for redevelopment as part of the scheme are currently largely disused former dockland sites on Merseyside. English Heritage and UNESCO, the United Nations’ world heritage body, have objected to the initiative.
“This is a well-deserved reward and justice for all those who never gave up supporting this scheme – the government is now demonstrating its support for Liverpool Waters too,” said Lindsey Ashworth, the Peel Group’s development director. “
“A big thank you goes to the people of Liverpool who have been behind this project all the way. Peel is proud to have worked in close partnership with the City of Liverpool – we believe it represents an exciting future for both,” he added.
Billions of pounds are to be invested in the delivery of Liverpool Waters, and the Peel Group is confident that it will have a huge impact on Liverpool’s international competitiveness as a British business destination.
Other Peel Group undertakings in the North West of England include the MediaCityUK scheme, which has succeeded in rejuvenating areas around Salford Quays in Greater Manchester.
Editor’s Notes: Since the publication of this story in 2013, the threat of Liverpool’s deletion from the UNESCO world heritage list hung over the city.
In July 2021, Liverpool was officially deleted from the list with the UN agency stating that developments such as Liverpool Waters and the proposal to build Everton football club’s new riverside football stadium at Bramley-Moore dock, would cause irreversible damage to the historical value of the Liverpool docks area.
Whilst met with dismay by the city’s leaders, the decision meant that developers would be met with fewer restrictions.
In April 2023, 10 years into the Liverpool Waters project, Peel announced plans that it would submit amendments to its three-decade strategy, for its stakeholders to consider.
Peel had been granted 30-year planning permission on its 150-acre site to develop 9,000 homes, 3.3 million square feet of office space, 570,000 sqft of hotels, 500,000 sqft of food and beverage space, and up to 4.4 million sqft of car parking.
The amendments are expected to include the creation of a new heritage space in the Clarence Dock neighbourhood called ‘Dockside’, making the most of existing heritage features and increasing water access; creating a diverse mix of homes, including affordable housing; and a 2.3km riverside walk from Pier Head to Everton Stadium.
Peel was expected to make public the official proposed amendments in mid-April 2023.