£1 dock deal paves way for multimillion-pound redevelopment programme

Kings Dock

Liverpool City Council has bought more than 55,000 sq metres (13 acres) of prime waterfront land at Kings Dock from Homes England for £1.

The council’s cabinet appoved the move to acquire the freehold of the land for a nominal sum at its meeting last Friday (September 27).

It is expected to trigger a new multimillion-pound redevelopment programme.

The council expects to go to the market by the end of October seeking expressions of interest in seven plots, including the site of the former multi-storey car park which burned down on New Year’s Eve, 2017, destroying more than 1,000 vehicles.

A new £30m multi-storey car park is currently under construction at Kings Dock. Built by contractors Willmott Dixon the 1,434 space car park, to be operated by the council, is scheduled to open next Summer.

The purchase follows the endorsement of a 2017 Masterplan and Planning Brief for the remaining development plots on Kings Dock to be transformed into a vibrant leisure-based mixed-use destination.

The council already holds the majority of the Kings Dock estate under three 999-year leases, incorporating venues such as M&S Bank Arena, the Convention Centre, Exhibition Centre Liverpool and Pullman Hotel, as well as several plots of vacant land.

Purchase of the freehold is part of the council’s strategy for the continuing renaissance of the city’s iconic waterfront.

It is estimated that the ACC Liverpool complex has generated a £1.6bn economic impact for the city since its creation in 2008 – and close to £200m in the past year alone.

Alongside Kings Dock, Liverpool’s waterfront is subject to several transformational projects including the redevelopment of Festival Gardens along the south of the Mersey shoreline, a new cruise liner terminal, the 10 Streets creativity district, the £5bn Liverpool Waters scheme and potentially a new football stadium for Everton Football Club in the north at Bramley Moore Dock.

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: “The transformation of the Kings Dock from a car park to a major tourist and leisure attraction has been one of our great success stories and has helped to fuel the Liverpool Powerhouse.

“Our iconic waterfront demands a world class offer and we have a masterplan to ensure that continues to happen at Kings Dock – so we continue to attract the biggest names in entertainment, the biggest brands in the conference sector and millions of tourists from around the world supporting thousands of jobs.

“This transaction for £1 ensures the future direction of the site and our intention is to market the sites as soon as possible by seeking expressions of interest.

“Liverpool’s waterfront has blossomed over the past decade, but we are not finished yet – the next phase of development at Kings Dock will arguably be more transformational than what we have already achieved.

“Its growth will also help further cement the city’s growing global reputation as a great city for investment, leisure and to visit, work and live in.”

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