Views sought on vision for £5bn Liverpool Central regeneration

Liverpool City Council is collecting feedback that will inform the creation of a strategic regeneration framework for the 86 acres around the underground station.

Residents, business owners, and other stakeholders are being canvassed for their opinions on things like the state of the public realm and what they would like to see delivered as part of the £5bn regeneration of Liverpool Central.

The vision is for a mixed-use scheme around an upgraded station. Notable assets that fall within the SRF scope include the former Lewis’s department store, which is up for sale, the Adelphi Hotel, and St John’s Shopping Centre. The consultation will run until 9 August.

Cllr Nick Small, cabinet member for growth and economy, said: “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to understand the proposals for the Central Station area and have their say on its future.

“This new platform brings together information on the emerging plans in a way that is clear and accessible, so I’d encourage everyone with an interest in the area to take a look and share their views.

“The feedback we receive will play an important role in helping to shape the next stages of the project.”

A team led by architect Hawkins Brown will develop the strategic regeneration framework to guide development around the city’s busiest transport gateway; Liverpool Central welcomes more than 14.8m passengers a year and is the most-used underground station outside of London.

The plan for the Central Station SRF is to outline how land is used, how public spaces are shaped, and how people and vehicles move through the area. It will also set out principles for future development and regeneration opportunities.

Working alongside Network Rail property division Platform4, Hawkins\Brown will lead a design team in shaping a long-term vision for the Central Station area.

The 86-acre project has been chosen as a pilot project for the Government’s reformed Green Book appraisal process, aimed at unlocking a £5bn transformation of the station and surrounding area.

Set out as the fundamental design principle is to seamlessly integrate the station with Liverpool Lime Street and connect Merseyrail services with national rail services, in a similar way that London’s King’s Cross and St Pancras stations operate together as a transport hub.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “Not only is Liverpool Central the busiest underground station outside London, but a massive regeneration project that is key to our city’s future success.

“It’s important that we get the train station element right, but this is also a unique opportunity to deliver new homes, enhanced space for growing businesses and deliver a world-class welcome befitting a world-class city like ours.”