Utility work to begin on ₤22m Highway Scheme in Liverpool

WORK is due to begin next week on installing new underground utility trenches as part of a ₤22m upgrade to a major route into Liverpool City Centre.

Contractors, Osborne, are to start the latest phase of the Great Howard Street (A565) scheme, on Tuesday, 18 September 2018.

To allow for the works to be carried out the inbound lane, heading South, to the City Centre, will be closed for 4 weeks from the junction of Blackstone Street. The outbound lane will also be reduced to a single lane.

Motorists travelling in to Liverpool from Bootle will be guided by a series of road diversions, at Millers Bridge, Bankhall Street, Sandhills Lane and Boundary Street, with drivers guided to use the Stanley Road, Commercial Road and Vauxhall Road corridor into the City Centre.

The utility works are timetabled to run until Friday, 19 October, but will be suspended, from Thursday, 4 October to Sunday, 7 October 2018, as the City hosts The Giants, a spectacular street theatre performance.

The upgrade of Great Howard Street, which will see it become a full dual carriageway in Autumn 2019, is part of a wider ₤100m investment in the roads infrastructure along the north Liverpool docks including the relaying of Regent Road, as well as the forthcoming the creation of two new waterfront link roads to support the City Council's new Cruise Terminal and the new Isle of Man Ferry terminal.

Earlier phases on the Great Howard Street scheme included a new bridge, completed in September 2017, which was designed to support freight traffic for the Liverpool Superport and a new wall to improve access to the historic Stanley Flight canal lock system, which sits within Liverpool's World Heritage site.

The investment is seen as a crucial to the development of major regeneration schemes such as the Ten Streets creativity district and Peel's ₤5bn Liverpool Waters scheme. The works would also benefit Everton FC's proposed new Stadium, at Bramley Moore Dock.

Councillor James Noakes, Cabinet member for Highways, said:- "Great Howard Street is a critical arterial road for Liverpool connecting Bootle and Sefton to the City Centre and its upgrade is vital to the development of the North Liverpool economy; not least the Ten Streets creativity district and the new cruise facilities. These utility works are a critical phase of the scheme and unfortunately the only way for our contractors to carry it out is to close off the City Centre bound lanes over the next month. We know this will cause disruption to commuters, but fortunately the area is serviced by other major roads and we have tried to ensure the impact is kept to a minimum with the works to be carried out in the shorted possible timeframe."

Liverpool City Council is investing a total of ₤500m across the City's highways network; from creating new roads to repairing potholes and highway verges.

This was recently boosted by a ₤200m package to be invested over the next 5 years, across 3main elements:-

►  ₤160 million in road reconstruction.

►  ₤25 million in resurfacing and patching work.

►  ₤15 million specifically earmarked for addressing potholes.

To assist residents, commuters and business to track current an online map was launched which highlights current and planned road repairs and can be found online.

Heritage boost for "Birthplace of British Islam"

LIVERPOOL City Council is to transfer its ownership of the site of England's 1st Mosque to support a new Islamic Heritage and Enterprise Centre.

A report to the Council's Cabinet, Friday, 14 September 2018, is recommending the Council transfer the freehold lease of the Grade II* listed premises at 8 to 10 Brougham Terrace, Kensington, to the Abdullah Quilliam Society (AQS) so it can progress with its ambitious plans.

The charity aim to celebrate the life of William Henry Quilliam (1856 to 1932), a Liverpool Solicitor who converted to Islam in 1887 and created:- "the birthplace of British Islam," when he established England's 1st fully functional Mosque and Islamic centre, in 1889, at 8 Brougham Terrace.

Renamed Abdullah Quilliam, he set up the Liverpool Muslim Institute, which also housed an:- Orphanage, School and Publishing House, and is regarded as 1 of the most influential Muslim converts and important figures in the history of Islam in Britain.

Such was his influence, Abdullah became the 1st and only appointed Sheik ul Islam of Britain appointed by the last Ottoman Emperor or Chaliph.

After the Mosque closed in 1910, it was then used as the City's Registry Office for births, deaths and marriages until the office moved and the AQS made its approach to re-establish the Mosque.

Since 2006 the AQS have steadily refurbished the 3, 5 storey terraced buildings to the cost of ₤1.2m, providing a new roof, removing asbestos, installing CCTV and various internal works which led to the historic Mosque re-opening back in June 2014, after 104 years of closure.

The AQS, who have operated on 2 year leases, now offer open days and a Mosque tour with renditions of Islamic hymns which Quilliam would have sang.

The transfer of the freehold lease will enable AQS to continue to operate the property as a Mosque, as well as a training centre with upper floor rented residential accommodation, and would enable them to draw down additional funding to develop a museum, visitor centre, library and study facilities to celebrate the life and era of Quilliam.

The new Heritage and Enterprise Centre, to open in Summer 2019, will include displays of Victorian costumes, horse and carriage rides, Victorian styled candy carts, as well as a Victorian kitchen.

It will also feature:- new office space, health and wellbeing facilities offering training and learning courses, employment and enterprise support and a community café which will create 10 new jobs.

Councillor Alice Bennett, Mayoral Lead for Heritage, said:- "Liverpool's role in the development of Islam in Britain is a fascinating story and this new heritage centre will shines a light on an over looked part of Victorian society. The world knows a great deal about Liverpool's position as the second City of the British Empire and all the different communities who flourished here and made Liverpool one of the world's 1st cosmopolitan Cities. Mr Quilliam's life is one of the great forgotten stories of that era, when Liverpool's reputation for religious tolerance was a beacon to the world. These plans of the AQS to celebrate his life through this new museum and heritage centre will be a fantastic addition to our cultural and heritage offer and the facilities and training services will be invaluable to the local community. The work they have done this past decade has laid great foundations to realise their dream and they are to be greatly applauded for their efforts."

Mr Galib Khan, Chair of AQS Trustees, said:- "We are immensely proud of this great Manx man and Liverpudlian. Because of the many things Abdullah Qulliiam achieved in Liverpool, he was known throughout the Empire as a Muslim Leader and he deserves an important place in the story of this great City and all it stands for as a celebrated seat of tolerance, education and social justice. With support from the Muslim community we've been able to carry out works to a very high standard and after a decade long journey they are almost complete. The bequeathing of the freehold from the City Council will be a huge boost to our plans and we hope to eventually provide a unique heritage and community centre that Liverpool will be proud of."

§ Background:- William Henry Quilliam was a Philanthropist, Archaeologist, Geologist, Victorian Gentleman and well known lawyer, of considerable financial resources. He was born in 1856 and died in 1932.

Poverty stricken women would shower flowers at his feet as he used his considerable resources to track down wayward husbands and ensure their wages went to feed their hungry children. He also made sure the colonial merchant seamen who died overseas was paid their outstanding salaries to their family. He also:-

►  Established the roots of Islam in the heart of the biggest colonial empire more than a century ago

►  Converted over 500 persons in Victorian Britain.

►  Established the fully functional 1st Mosque.

►  Was the precursor of legal aid.

►  The 1st and only titled Sheikh Al Islam - The official leader of the Muslim Community.

►  Published weekly and monthly Crescent and Islamic. About 8,000 digitised copies are available in the British Library and via AQS's website.

►  Established orphanage for destitute children.

►  A strong advocate of the Temperance society – Against alcoholism.

For more information please go to:- AbdullahQuilliam.Org...