Liverpool appoints regeneration boss

Liverpool City Council has appointed Nick Kavanagh full time as director for regeneration and employment.

The council said Kavanagh, who joined the council last August as interim director for regeneration after John Kelly stepped down as chief executive of regeneration, will be tasked with driving Liverpool's regeneration forward, as well as boosting job creation and employment opportunities in the city.

Kavanagh was dividing his time between Liverpool and Knowsley Council where he worked as director of regeneration, economy and skills.

Mike Harden, deputy chief executive of Knowsley Council, is overseeing Kavanagh's previous role which includes projects such as the £200m scheme in Kirkby town centre by Tesco's development subsidiary Spenhill.

Liverpool City Council said Kavanagh has played a key role in initiatives such as the £350m redevelopment of the Edge Lane corridor, the establishment of the Liverpool Embassy in London and the £150m Project Jennifer regeneration scheme. The council also said he has played a major part in schemes which have created over 300 new businesses and over 500 new jobs in the city since 2010.

Kavanagh will be responsible for the delivery of Peel's £5.5bn Liverpool Waters scheme, working with the Government on proposals for turnaround facilities at the city's cruise liner terminal, and the redevelopment of the city's two Premier League football stadiums.

He will also be responsible for regeneration strategies such as the North Liverpool Strategic Framework, the city's approach to Regional Growth Fund and the core strategy element of the Local Development Framework.

Kavanagh said: "I'm absolutely delighted to be taking on this role, which for me is one of the most exciting and challenging in local government. I want to ensure that we keep up the momentum of our regeneration work and drive forward those projects which boost our economy and create jobs.

"In tough economic times, it's more important than ever that we do things differently and work more closely with the private sector. I'll be making it a priority to ensure that the council's aim to be more business-friendly becomes a reality. We want to be a responsive, can-do city which is attractive to potential investors as well as our existing businesses.

"There are large challenges ahead in the coming years, but we have many talented officers here, and I'm confident that by working effectively together, we can deliver great results."

Ged Fitzgerald, chief executive of Liverpool City Council, added: "Nick is a fantastic asset to the city council. He has a proven track record of delivering key regeneration projects and I'm sure his experience and skills will be invaluable as we take Liverpool forward.

"I'm very much looking forward to working closely with Nick to boost the economic development of the city, bring new employment and investment and minimise the impact of the recession."