Liverpool on course for record breaking investment

LIVERPOOL is on course to complete more than ₤1bn in regeneration projects for a record breaking 5th successive year. The Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, revealed at the City's 1st Regenerating Liverpool Summit that 2019 is set to match the previous 4 years with 2018 to witness more than ₤1.4bn in construction schemes.

Mayor Anderson told an audience of more than 100 business leaders at Liverpool Town Hall this morning that the City had entered an:- "unprecedented era of growth" with ₤14bn of projects either on site or in the pipeline, creating 28,000 jobs.

Speaking at the summit, which was co-hosted with the Liverpool and Sefton Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor added:- "From Liverpool Waters to Ten Streets, the Knowledge Quarter to the Fabric District there has never been more activity across so many different sectors which is remarkable when you set that against a decade of economic uncertainty. Liverpool City Council's Regeneration department has worked tirelessly to stimulate investment such as at Paddington Village and the new housing company and we have some fantastic public and private sector partners who are helping to ensure the City builds on the successes of recent years. Liverpool heads to MIPIM next week full of confidence with some amazing schemes that I've no doubt will attract international interest and further fuel this growth. My focus now is to ensure all this regeneration benefits the local supply chain and its economic impact ripples throughout the City for generations to come."

The Mayor, who reaffirmed the City's intent to ensure regeneration works in tandem with World Heritage status, led a high profile panel of talkers which included presentations from Lindsey Ashworth, Development Director at Liverpool Waters, Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Director at Everton FC and Colin Sinclair, Chief Executive of KQ Liverpool.

Mr Ashworth gave an update on progress on a revised masterplan at Central Docks, with Copenhagen quoted as a big influence, with while the summit heard about Everton's intentions to redevelop Goodison Park after the club's proposed move to Bramley Moore Dock.

Mr Sinclair, who will be joining the Mayor at the MIPIM property conference to announce details of a new hotel at Paddington Village, said momentum had reached a critical mass at the Knowledge Quarter pointing to the dual announcements on the Council's advertising for the KQ Gateway master plan and Liverpool John Moores University revealing plans for a ₤64m student campus on Copperas Hill.

The panel were also joined by Nick Kavanagh, Director of Regeneration at Liverpool City Council, who revealed that the authority intends to hold:- "meet the buyer" sessions for local contractors in April as part of the development of the Foundations Housing Company, which was established in January with a remit to build 10,000 new homes. Following the presentations a question and answer session was opened to delegates, which was chaired by Professor Michael Parkinson at the University of Liverpool.