Liverpool City Council is set to receive a £55m investment from the new government to accelerate the regeneration of Liverpool’s historic north docklands.
A report presented to the city council at its meeting on Tuesday 16 July recommends that the council enter into an agreement with Homes England to accept a significant sum of grant funding for Brownfield Infrastructure Land (BIL). The government funding is for Central Docks, the largest precinct in Liverpool Waters and the city’s largest industrial site.
The site, owned by riverside regeneration specialists Peel Waters, is expected to unlock more than £500 million of private investment. The Central Docks project includes the creation of a public park and key infrastructure to accommodate around 2,350 new homes.
The funding for the site, which is subject to final approval by the Treasury, comes just a week after new Chancellor Rachel Reeves referred to the project in her first speech as Chancellor of the Exchequer, in which she set out the new government’s commitment to unlocking stalled housing projects.
The Central Docks project has also been identified by the Liverpool Strategic Futures Panel, chaired by Mayor Steve Rotheram, and is part of the city’s 20-year plan for its entire famous waterfront.
Liverpool City Council has also made a similar commitment to brownfield sites in its draft housing strategy, currently out for public consultation, which supports the delivery of 2,000 new homes each year until 2030 and doubling the number of affordable homes in the city.
Peel Waters said the 10.5 hectare project’s key infrastructure, which would include utilities, public roads, green spaces and public amenities, would lay the foundations for future investment and the development of housing and commercial businesses would also support new community, commercial and leisure facilities.
With site preparatory works approved, plans for the Central Quays include the creation of an interconnected network of public spaces. The proposed new landscape will be enhanced by the planting of hundreds of trees, with the centrepiece being ‘Central Park’, a vast 2.1 hectare oasis set to become one of the city’s largest urban green spaces.
The design of Central Park will aim to celebrate the site’s industrial heritage and coastal location, blending coastal and forest plantings, wetlands, community gardens and open green spaces. The park will include amenities such as shelters, recreational facilities and wildlife habitats for residents and visitors to enjoy.
The development will also aim to improve connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists, with the aim of creating open access between the city centre, Princes Dock, Central Docks and Everton’s new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.
Liverpool City Council Leader, Councillor Liam Robinson, said: “This new funding from Homes England will help transform one of the country’s leading industrial sites and act as a huge economic catalyst for north Liverpool.
“I was delighted to hear the new Chancellor name Liverpool Waters as a key project in her first speech to the Treasury. Liverpool City Council is ready to play its part in this mission to unlock our brownfield sites to launch a new era of housebuilding.
“The Central Docks project has the potential to become a true flagship project of what can be achieved through a partnership between central and local government and the private sector.
“We have put a lot of work into developing our proposed waterfront plan and housing strategy and are delighted to see such a significant project getting ready for delivery. Its success would mark another decade of achievement that this city deserves.”
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City Region, said: “Britain is under new leadership and in just a few days we are already starting to see the difference. By working hand in hand with government at national, regional and local level we can make a huge difference and drive local growth.
“The development of Central Docks, alongside ongoing work to regenerate Bramley Moore and Bootle, has the potential to be a catalyst for wider growth and regeneration for large areas of South Sefton and North Liverpool, creating jobs and attracting investment.
“The Central Docks site was identified in the final report of Liverpool’s Strategic Advisory Committee as a potential development site. The £55 million we have received is a huge statement of intent, on top of the £31 million we secured for the city last March.
“I would like to pay tribute to the late Sir Howard Bernstein for all the support and expertise he brought to the work of the Group.”
Peter Denton, Chief Executive of Homes England, said: “I am beyond delighted to see the continued progress being made at Central Docks as part of the city’s clear vision to completely regenerate Liverpool’s waters for the people it serves.
“Providing funding and expertise, in long-term partnership with the council, mayor and wider sector, is exactly what Homes England is here to do – supporting local authorities to unlock the potential for change, growth and creating sustainable, vibrant communities.”
Chris Capes, Peel Waters Development Director, commented: “Central Docks will deliver thousands of new homes, as well as commercial, retail, leisure and community facilities and public spaces over the next ten years.
“However, the practicalities of brownfield development continue to be a challenge for investors and developers, so innovation and partnerships are key to driving forward the regeneration we all want to see.
“Investing in this critical infrastructure will help leverage at least ten times the amount of private sector funding, leading to the complete transformation of the Central Docks precinct and the creation of an inclusive, distinctive and healthy new community.”
