Peel submits £10bn plan to transform Liverpool
PEEL Group, the North West property investment giant, today submitted a planning application for its most ambitious project yet – the £10bn Liverpool Waters scheme.
The privately-owned Manchester company says the project will transform the economic fortunes of the entire region through the regeneration of 150-acres on Liverpool Docks. If the scheme wins approval from Liverpool City Council the project will create thousands of jobs over the next 30 years.
One of the stand-out features of Liverpool Waters is the Shanghai Tower – a 55-storey skyscraper – the tallest building outside London. It also includes 9,000 new homes and a new cruise terminal.
Peel bosses are visiting Shanghai this month in a bid to woo Chinese investment for Liverpool Waters and its sister development across the Mersey, Wirral Waters, which was given planning permission in August.
The company says both schemes – collectively known as Peel Waters – are the largest and most ambitious regeneration project in the country.
Lindsey Ashworth, development director at Peel said to get to this point had been a long, difficult and expensive process, but a worthwhile one.
He said: “It is a fantastic and almost unbelievable achievement to get a scheme of this scale and nature to a point where a planning application can be submitted.
“With the amount of people involved in the process I have to say that it’s been very difficult to get a general consensus of agreement but we have managed this because all the stakeholders are proud of Liverpool and want this project to be delivered and therefore have made massive efforts to get it to this stage.”
“It has been a very costly exercise and there is much more to be done, but Peel believes that Liverpool can be a greater city and that Liverpool Waters will be a major part of its future and that it will all be worth the effort in the end”.
Cllr Joe Anderson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said; “Liverpool Waters is a hugely ambitious and exciting scheme which has the potential to bring about the transformation of an area which has been in need of regeneration for decades. The scale of the project is breathtaking and it will benefit generations to come.
“We, along with other agencies, have worked with Peel to help shape this scheme but we do recognise that there are great sensitivities attached to it and there will be full consultation before a decision is made as part of the normal planning procedure to ensure the best possible outcome for the city.”
Ian Pollitt project manager of Liverpool Waters added: “Having worked very closely with Liverpool City Council, English Heritage, CABE, Government Office North West, The Mersey Partnership and Liverpool Vision over the past four years on this exciting project, it is credit to all involved that we have now submitted the outline planning application for Liverpool Waters.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for Liverpool and the city region and we look forward to continuing such a positive working relationship with the city council and the other agencies over the coming years”.
