Liverpool Waters

Lindsey Ashworth, Development director, Peel Holdings

Liverpool Waters statement
Lindsey Ashworth.

“When Peel Holdings purchased the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company a few years ago I stood on the waterfronts of both Liverpool and Wirral with the company Chairman and the view in many ways created a feeling of sadness because these docks that had been the lifeblood of the region about a century ago had fallen into such dereliction. They had been abandoned and forgotten, the City had turned its back on something that had helped make Liverpool the great place that it is.

The post-Panamax ships and containerisation that the world has adopted to distribute its goods are so big that the River Mersey is simply not deep enough in the estuary for them so the shipping trade has had to move to deeper water. Thus, some parts of Birkenhead Docks and Liverpool Docks will never come back into effective port uses because of this and it’s these areas of land that we are working up schemes for to bring them back into use for the needs of this century and to make them once again contribute towards the local economy like they used to.

The forefathers of Liverpool Docks were pioneers of their time and they had the will and enthusiasm to drive things forward against so many others who saw fit to put their efforts into undermining and criticising most of their ideas that involved change. Thankfully, the forefathers had the determination to turn their visions into reality and delivered something that we are all very grateful for. What would they think if they saw the land now in its abandoned state?

We are now well over a century later and Peel has come along with its own ideas and we are to share these with the people of Liverpool this Friday and Saturday at our exhibition being held at a local shop 9 Whitechapel in the city centre located between the Met Quarter and Lord Street and we look for support from the majority rather than resistance from the minority.

When the Three Graces where proposed which involved the filling in of three docks, the newspaper reports show that there was an outcry about this. If we took the preservation of Liverpool’s wonderful heritage back to its origins, we would have to demolish the Three Graces and re-open these three old docks the remains of which are probably still there underneath. Of course this would be ridiculous because we all love the Three Graces. Time and needs had moved on for these three docks and the Three Graces were built and time has moved on now for us to consider redevelopment of the many acres of disused land.

We have a drawing that is over one hundred years old prepared by one of the famous engineers at the time, probably Jesse Hartley, that shows an increase in the height of buildings moving north alongside the Three Graces. The Liver Building was the tallest building in Europe at the time it was built and had it not been on the limits of technology, it would certainly have been built higher.

Our vision that we call Liverpool Waters is to create a new living and working environment on this redundant dockland with beautiful high rise and high quality buildings and make this part of the waterfront spectacular again and bring back into use, but this time creating local jobs for all ages and making the waterfront accessible to the public.

Finding and agreeing a way of moving Liverpool Waters positively through the planning system has not been without its challenges.

From Peel’s point of view we obviously want a workable planning consent but given this will be the largest planning application in the UK, it’s not been easy to find a way through and there are no similar precedents to learn from. This project has genuinely been Heritage led given that the site is either in the World Heritage Site or in what is called its buffer zone, so that has been an added challenge.

However it’s in everybody’s best interests that we get this right and given that it’s a £5.5 billion investment in Liverpool over the next few decades providing tens of thousands of new jobs we have had lots of well thought through advice from Liverpool Council, Liverpool Vision, Government Office, English Heritage, CABE, this list goes on. This advice and guidance has been so helpful in finding a way forward and Peel really appreciates the time, effort and expertise all have put into this. The will to move this great city forward is still there.

Our proposed planning application route is to submit an ‘outline’ planning application for the redevelopment of the whole of the site which will provide significant detail in terms of scale, height, mass, etc in the form of what we call ‘parameter plans’. This will provide sufficient detail to enable key issues to be considered and determined such as the impact on the setting of listed buildings, impact on the World Heritage Site and Conservation Areas, strategic views, views into and out of the site, impact on the skyline, etc.

Peel has a strong track record in delivering major high quality and award winning developments around the UK within the confines of the existing planning system. Schemes include MediaCityUk in Salford which has just been given Breeam Community Status, Gloucester Quays, the Trafford Centre and Liverpool John Lennon Airport. These schemes have not only provided genuine benefits to the areas around them by employing local people and bringing high quality development, but they have also attracted investment.

For a city to reach international status and compete on a world platform it needs a good airport and a good port to support it.

We have made great inroads into achieving this to support our Liverpool Waters proposals.

Peel has committed significant resources to Liverpool Waters project and other projects along the Mersey corridor and Atlantic Gateway. The scale of investment in transport, energy and waste, and development projects is huge – it demonstrates a long term commitment by Peel to the future growth of the region and this commitment is now reflected in the North West Regional Strategy which Peel believes will become the blueprint for sustainable economic growth in the northwest.

This investment is a demonstration of Peel’s confidence in the deliverability of the scale and ambition of the proposals. Put simply, Peel would not be spending significant sums of money at this time unless it was fully intending to bring the project forward as soon as possible. It would have been easy for Peel to ‘mothball’ Liverpool Waters, as many developers have done to their projects elsewhere, and come back to them when the economy improves. Instead, Peel has maintained its commitment.

We are always asked the question, when will works start on site if planning permission is granted. Well, the chairman has a saying that applies here – DPP – Determination, Perseverance and Patience.

It has taken Peel a long time to establish an effective presence in the Northwest and it’s taken a lot of effort and risk to get where we are. I have worked for Peel for over 20 years now and I genuinely believe that we have made a large contribution to the prosperity of the region and we have lots more fuel in the tank to do much more if we are allowed to.

Every decade the economy seems to crash in some way and we have to suffer a recession and it takes some difficult decisions and strategies to find a way through and survive and no lifelines are thrown out to us like the banks have been given.

We are not immune from the effects of this recession but will continue to soldier on as we have always done to find a way through and start works on site with our projects.

The public will begin to notice immediate improvements around the site towards the middle of this year when proposed works to repair the Bascule Bridge and reopen the road link between Waterloo Road and Regent Road will be completed. A series of works are also proposed to seek to repair a number of historic buildings and structures on the site, particularly towards the north of the site.

One thing is for sure without planning permission we can’t do anything meaningful within the boundary of Liverpool Waters so getting public support this Friday and Saturday who ultimately get behind the Councillors is vital.

The final decision of course rests in the hands of Government Office and they are more likely to reach an early positive decision if we get it right and Liverpool Council see fit to recommend Liverpool Waters be approved.

Time will tell!”
Shanghai Tower will reach 67 stories into the sky. By comparison, Liverpool's current tallest building, (Beetham west), reaches 40 stories, but houses Britain's tallest restaurant.

Masterplan

Master Plan The whole of Liverpool Docks will be considered for improvements, but only part for redevelopment. "Liverpool Waters" is the new title for the area selected for this redevelopment; the name reflecting the new and unique place it will strive to be. Once completed, people of Liverpool will benefit from this spectacular development which will be a place for all age groups to work, socialise, rest and play. Liverpool Waters will be a recognized name around the world; tourists will identify with its location and want to visit.

The overall vision for the 60 hectare, 150 acres, Liverpool Waters site is to create a new sector of the central city area in a prime waterfront location within walking distance of the commercial core. In regenerating this part of the City a key part of this vision will be to build upon the strong character of Liverpool and the heritage assets of its World Heritage Site. The development will also have strong connections with the existing commercial, retail and leisure cores.

In seeking to achieve this vision, Peel have subdivided the formerly named Central Docks part of Liverpool Docks now named Liverpool Waters into four sectors for redevelopment as follows:

1. Bramley Moore Dock & Nelson Dock - Located at the northern end of Liverpool Waters.
   

2. Salisbury Dock & Collingwood Dock - Located at the confluence of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal with the Liverpool docks and River Mersey.
   

3. Canal Link/Mid-Section - Located between the Clarence Graving Docks and Trafalgar Docks.
   

4. Princes Half Tide Dock & Princes Dock - Located at the Southern end of Liverpool Waters adjacent to the Three Graces.

The plan shows West Waterloo filled in. The local residents successfully stopped this philistine act in 2007, however it may be back on the agenda as this is clearly land by stealth. A supplementary planning document required by UNESCO to guide the management of the World Heritage Site and neighbouring buffer zones – taking in virtually the whole city centre – will be released shortly, albeit five years too late. However, the draft of the supplementary planning document ruled out losing any more water – the Pier Head was itself built on a reclaimed dock. Hopefully this will put to rest any land by stealth moves in Liverpool Docks. The document should have stated that water spaces be re-introduced - the volume of in-filled water space was as much as what many ports have. However the documents is only a guide.

Magnificent buildings will reach for the sky. Beautiful buildings will rise out of these Docks to form marinas where leisure boats will once again activate the waters.

There is a keen demand for residential associated with marina development. Collingwood and Salisbury Docks will be transformed into a sequence of waterborne squares, creating a comfortable scale while recalling the close association of building to water characteristic of the enclosure of former warehouse buildings. The ground floor will be punctuated by small shops, restaurants and public houses.

The listed buildings of the Jesse Hartley 6 sided clock tower and Dockmaster's office will remain, and continue to mark the entrance to Salisbury Dock from the river and the start of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

The two Clarence Graving Docks will be retained for ship repair and maintenance and be overlooked by a mixture of uses including retail, leisure and residential. Like Gun Wharf Quays in Portsmouth, the shops, restaurants and leisure will be necessary to support the new population without challenging the facilities in the city core. Beyond will lie the marina and new feature towers of over 50 storeys high.

Magnificent world class buildings will be on display, each with its own amazing individual style and character. People will visit Liverpool because it will have been restored to its once former position as a place of great character, activity and enviable prosperity.

At last, the people of Liverpool will be able to enjoy their waterfront. Perhaps take a stroll along the promenade or have a drink or meal with friends in one of the many high quality bars and restaurants or simply relax and watch the many ships and boats sail by.

The canal as the central feature of a Linear Park will be a particularly attractive feature, allowing canal boats and people to pass through a landscaped waterway, with activity and along the towpath will be bars, cafes and restaurants - a total contrast to today's derelict, empty and low-lying industrial wasteland.

The completion of the redevelopment of Princes Dock is the beginning of the creation of a waterfront that will be the envy of the world. The new canal link will be surrounded by such a buzzing, thriving environment that boats from all around the United Kingdom will come to visit.

Waterloo Tunnel to the left - Wapping Tunnel to the right There has been no formal plan to run rapid transit rail into the Liverpool Waters complex. Peel, the developers were talking about reusing the Waterloo Tunnel which emerges at West Waterloo Dock, to run a monorail to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

The Waterloo Tunnel runs from Edge Hill and emerges at West Waterloo Dock adjacent to the Merseyrail Northern Line. The Merseyrail Northern Line runs parallel to the River Mersey inland from the dock complex, however Sandhills station is too far from Liverpool Waters. It would be possible to branch from the Northern Line into the Liverpool Waters complex running at ground and elevated levels. However light rail carriages, similar to used in the London Docklands Light Railway, would almost certainly be necessary rather than the large Merseyrail heavy rail carriages - both types of carriage can use the same tracks. A station could be built at the Waterloo Tunnel portal, giving access to the Northern Line. A more ambitious plan to create a Liverpool city centre Circle Line using disused tunnels and stations merging Liverpool Waters into the system would be of great benefit to the complex and the city as whole Extending Rapid Transit Merseyrail.

A disused tunnel exists from Sandhills, on the Northern Line, to Wellington Dock very near to the proposed Liverpool Waters. There are prospects to reuse the tunnel to give access to the complex.

Liverpool Waters to be a success requires a rapid transit rail system to link to all of Merseyside and direct to:

• Liverpool city centre
  

• Wirral Waters
  

• Liverpool John Lennon Airport

Rapid-transit rail was considered essential for the success of London's Docklands. The same would apply to this project.

Massive public backing for Peel’s £5.5bn Liverpool Waters scheme Feb 3 2010 by Neil Hodgson, Liverpool Echo

‘WHEN can you start?’ was the reaction of most visitors at developer Peel Holdings’ Liverpool Waters public showing.

The two-day consultation explaining the £5.5bn redevelopment of north Liverpool’s derelict docklands proved a huge hit with hundreds of visitors over the weekend and early analysis of almost 300 questionnaires revealed that 99% were in favour of the 30-50 year scheme.

A Peel spokeswoman said: “This is an overwhelming result which we are very pleased with.

“We are also extremely pleased with the way members of the public interacted with us, raising some very valid questions in terms of open space, transport, community facilities and the number and height of buildings.

“As we process the questionnaires, these and all the comments received will be taken on board and we will seek to make amendments to the scheme as appropriate.”

She added: “The number one question was actually ‘when can you start?’ followed in second place by ‘I hope I’ll still be here to see it’.”

Public Showcase for Liverpool Waters announced 27th January 2010

Developer Peel is due to invite the public to view their £5.5bn plans to develop 150 acres of North Liverpool’s docklands on the 29th & 30th of January 2010 in their city centre shop at 9 Whitechapel.

Development director Lindsey Ashworth said: “This is a great opportunity to see first hand what the scheme now entails and to find out what progress has been made over the last 12 months.”

City planners pave the way for Peel’s Liverpool Waters Oct 5 2009-Liverpool Daily Post

A NEW city blueprint has paved the way for Liverpool’s biggest ever development project – while crucially protecting its World Heritage status.
Peel Holdings wants to build dozens of skyscrapers in the city’s Central Docks area in North Liverpool in a multi-billion pound scheme known as Liverpool Waters.
It had been feared its location in the World Heritage Site buffer zone could prove problematic but city planners have agreed to allow tall buildings in Central Docks.
Last night Peel welcomed the news and said it could be in a position to submit a planning application as early as December.

The principle of allowing skyscrapers in the Central Docks area is set out in the city council’s blueprint aimed at protecting the World Heritage Site.
The report was ordered by Unesco after it raised concerns the historic waterfront was not being properly safeguarded.
After spending six months consulting on the blueprint, the council is now set to approve it, with a number of changes to the original proposal.
It is part of an action plan aimed at involving the wider public in schemes earmarked for sensitive sites around the historic waterfront.

Originally it suggested allowing high-rise buildings in two clusters: the commercial district around Old Hall Street and the “southern gateway” around Parliament Street.
Following consultation the city says high-rise buildings will also be allowed in Central Docks, and mid-rise buildings of between seven and 15 storeys will be allowed in the quayside area north of Salisbury Dock, which also forms part of the Liverpool Waters scheme.

City officials said the new Supplementary Planning Document will:

Protect key views of landmark buildings;
Help conserve historic buildings while positively encouraging new developments;
Encourage the demolition of existing buildings that have a negative impact on the urban environment.

Hundreds of people took part in the consultation that started in March and the council said there was unanimous support for the overriding aim of protecting the World Heritage Site.
There was also a broad consensus that regeneration opportunities should be encouraged.
It is now recommended that the blueprint should incorporate additional key views of landmark buildings.

Regeneration leader Cllr Peter Millea said: “We were very pleased with the level of response – both in terms of the numbers of responses and the constructive nature of the suggestions made.
“It shows the high level of interest and pride there is locally in the World Heritage Site.
“The whole purpose of the consultation was to get people’s views and suggestions and wherever possible we have tried to incorporate them into the final document.
“In some cases this has not proved possible as some were contrary to national and local policies and others conflicted with other suggestions.
“One of the major issues we have had to consider has been the Liverpool Waters project.
“We have had discussions with Peel Holdings and now have a clearer understanding of what their plans are and will try to accommodate their proposal in a more flexible way.
“Overall this is a very positive document which balances the need to preserve Liverpool’s unique architectural heritage with the encouragement of high- quality developments.”

Peel Holdings development director Lindsey Ashworth said he was pleased with the outcome.
“We are about to enter into discussions with Cabe (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) over our plans.
“A planning application will probably go in at the earliest in December or latest January or February.
“We do not have a tallest building as such, but the tallest will probably be about 60 storeys.”

The firm already has planning permission for part of its Wirral Waters scheme, and intends to submit another one around the same time as the application for Liverpool.
“By and large I am quite pleased with the progress that has been made,” said Mr Ashworth.
He said he hoped the company would have planning permissions for both sides of the River Mersey by the summer of 2010.

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