Peel plays hardball as decision looms for Liverpool Waters
PEEL Group has threatened to walk away from its £5.5bn Liverpool Waters scheme if it does not obtain planning permission next week – or if the government calls it in for a public inquiry.
Speaking to TheBusinessDesk.com at a two-day public consultation held ahead of next week’s crucial planning meeting on March 6, Peel Developments director Lindsey Ashworth said that that if the scheme is not approved then “all bets are off”.
Peel is bringing a delegation of Chinese investors – led by Stella Shiu, its joint venture partner in the £200m International Trade Centre project in Birkenhead – along to the meeting.
“The Chinese people like to have business relationships and friendships. It’s important that when they come over they actually see a performance that is quite friendly,” she said.
He added that Ms Shiu was bringing potential tenants for the ITC along “to see how the planning system works and whether Liverpool people are friendly or not towards the development. And Liverpool people are – they’re very supportive.”
He argues that the meeting is a chance for Liverpool to send a message to investors that “If you want to come into Europe, you want to come into the UK – and if you’re coming into the UK, you want to come to the Liverpool and Wirral region.
“So it all sort of hangs together and if this failed all bets are off.
“The Chinese delegation will go back thinking ‘well, we’re just wasting our time here’. You’ve just got to be honest and see it the way it is.”
Mr Ashworth said that he feels the new plans submitted in January addresses most of English Heritage’s concerns over issues such as the archaeology of the city’s old docks, but the height of some of the proposed towers of up to 50 storeys remained the divisive issue.
“They want to see lots of buildings that are lower than the Three Graces…lots of Albert Docks-type buildings.
Well, I want to make this something unique and distinct for Liverpool, and for Liverpool’s waterfront. And I want to do something that when people see it they can memorise it.
“Albert Docks is a lovely set of buildings we’ve already got one. I want something that you can see ten miles away on a cruise liner coming into the city or if you’re flying in you can say ‘Wow! That’s Liverpool city centre’.
“We’re trying to create something for the needs of this century. To replicate something that was done 100 or 200 years ago is a ridiculous way of trying to move the city forwards.”
Mr Ashworth also reiterated his threat to abandon the project if it were called in by the Government to let planning inspectors decide its fate.
“The size of the scheme itself means government will have the final say. Eric Pickles will decide whether it goes to a public inquiry or not, and if there is then that’s it. I’m not spending any more money on it.
I can’t keep going on spending money. We haven’t got infinite financial resources.
He added that he felt it was more important to create wealth and jobs for Liverpool’s economy than “to be weak for a world heritage body that’s bothered about the view from New Brighton”.
“It’s just ridiculous. I can’t see why I’m in this position.”
“Who’s got the time and the money to spend another two years on a public inquiry that you might lose?”
New fly-throughs of the Liverpool waters scheme have just been released and can be viewed here.
A more in-depth look at Peel’s proposals for Liverpool Waters will feature on TheBusinessDesk.com’s weekly property email. If you’re not subscribed, click here.
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