Heseltine hails city’s ‘extraordinay renaissance’
THE father of Liverpool’s regeneration, Lord Heseltine, has praised the “extraordinary renaissance” currently taking place in the city.
Heseltine, credited with helping Merseyside out of the doldrums in the wake of the Toxteth riots in the 1980s when he was part of Margaret Thatcher’s government, took a tour of Liverpool Waters during his trip to the International Business Festival 2016, taking place at the Exhibition Centre in the city.
He had earlier spoken at the International Waterfront Forum hosted at IFB2016.
Heseltine said: “Liverpool’s renaissance is extraordinary and under so much momentum.
“I know that the projections for this city are now unstoppable. It’s always a great privilege to be here and to learn something new every time.
“The extraordinary pace of change and the billions invested is a vote of confidence in the work of the public and private sectors in Liverpool and I hope that this investment continues in the future.”
Lord Heseltine was accompanied by Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson, Peel’s development director Lindsey Ashorth, Liverpool Waters assistant project director Ian Pollitt and IFB2016 chairman Max Steinberg.
They boarded Mersey Ferries’ Dazzle ship to view Peel’s ambitious £5.5bn project and the £4.5bn development site of Wirral Waters.
The ambitious 30-year vision for the Mersey Waters Enterprise Zone is one of the City Region’s most important regeneration and investment opportunities.
Liverpool Waters is also one part of the wider ‘Atlantic Gateway’ project, which includes more than 50 contributory projects.
Pollitt said: “Lord Heseltine has long been a champion of Liverpool and has great interest in its present and future plans and potential.
“He was fascinated to hear of our plans for further regeneration of Liverpool’s waterfront and it’s historic docks, which of course he kick started in 1981 at Albert Dock.
”It was an enjoyable trip, with many others who are working to secure the city’s future, and it was a pleasure to show how the continued environmental and economic improvements on the river are assisting the renaissance of Liverpool.”
