£50m cruise liner terminal plans to be considered

Liverpool’s proposed £50m cruise line terminal should be rubber-stamped when it goes before the city’s planning committee next week.

The scheme could provide further regeneration along the Liverpool waterfront with plans to welcome some of the biggest cruise liners in the world, and act as the catalyst to the creation of thousands of  jobs.

Last year Liverpool welcomed more than 60 vessels to the riverfront, with 120,000 passengers and crew to its current terminal, which generates more than £7m a year for the local economy.

Liverpool City Council is keen to build on the commercial opportunities by tapping into the boom in cruising.

Its proposed state-of-the-art scheme would include passport control facilities and an exclusive lounge.

Four weeks ago the council appointed McLaughlin & Harvey to prepare the new cruise terminal facility as part of a two-stage design and build contract.

It will support the council’s design team in finalising the design and construction method, including the controlled dismantling of the existing derelict Princes jetty, which has been gifted to the city by land owner Peel Land and Property.

McLaughlin & Harvey contract director John Mariner said the firm would also be fully supporting the Liverpool in Work programme to provide and promote engagement with local subcontractors and suppliers, and offer local employment opportunities.

The main contract covers construction of the new cruise passenger terminal on a suspended deck structure at the Princes jetty site and the erection of a vehicular linkspan bridge and pedestrian walkway to connect the new terminal to the existing landing stage.

Subject to planning, site preparation is expected to start in October 2018.

Future applications could include plans for a 200-room hotel and 1,700+ multi-storey car park.

Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson has described the creation of a new cruise liner terminal as “one of the most important regeneration projects of this decade” which he said is vital to the region’s tourism economy.

Approval for the scheme has been recommended. It will be considered by the council’s planning committee on Tuesday, April 3.