Cains reveals plans for brewery redevelopment

Liverpool's Cains Brewery has unveiled plans to develop a £50m seven-acre tourism, leisure and retail destination on its current site.

The owners want to develop the Brewery into a national visitor destination and increase the amount of traditional Cains ales brewed at the site.

The scheme, called Brewery Village, is expected to create around 800 full-time jobs plus 60 construction jobs during the build stage. There are currently 56 jobs on the site.

The proposals include a four-screen independent art-house cinema, separate food store, around 100 phase one apartments and a 400-space car park.

On an adjacent site are plans for a phase two residential development involving around 350 apartments plus additional parking, which is not expected to begin until at least 2017.

The current grade 2-listed building would be restored to house a traditional Cains craft brewery and tour with a sky bar in the roof offering views over the city and the River Mersey.

The building would also house a 100-room boutique hotel, digital work studios and a large open plan delicatessen-style food market and restaurant for independent artisan producers to make and sell their produce on site.

The plans also include a spa, gym and function rooms. The existing Brewery Tap pub would be restored and retained.

A market appraisal of the site predicts it would attract about 500,000 visitors a year once complete.

Cains expect to submit a planning application and application for listed building consent by the end of July. If consent is granted, work on the site would start next spring.

Under the proposals, Cains' volume lager production of other brands under license for supermarkets would cease.

Cllr Joe Anderson, mayor of Liverpool, said: "Proposals such as these are complex but are an indication of confidence in the city and its prospects.

"There is much work to be done to bring the scheme to fruition but we are fully behind the plans and extremely excited about the positive impact it will have on a key city site.

"We understand the challenges businesses such as Cains face and believe this scheme is the right way forward for both the Cains brand and the city as a whole."

Sudarghara Dusanj, managing director of Cains, said: "We want to create a major new tourism and leisure asset for the city which would secure the future of the Cains beer brand for decades to come.

"Cities like Manchester and Newcastle have been unable to save their traditional breweries but we know this scheme will ensure Liverpool has a thriving and traditional brewery for future generations.

"We anticipate increasing production of traditional ales by as much as 300% as a result of the scheme.

"We will create a vibrant, independent and varied destination for people to live, work and enjoy which complements the rest of the city's assets and dramatically improves the appearance of one of the city's most important arterial routes.

"Our proposals would also make a significant contribution to the city's ambitions to regenerate the entire Baltic Triangle."

Adam Hall, managing director of Falconer Chester Hall, architect on the scheme, said: "We are taking inspiration from right across the world and have examined similar schemes in the US and Canada where they have brought the new and old together to create truly atmospheric and vibrant destinations.

"There will be nothing quite like it in the North West of England so we are confident it will quickly become a new reason for tourists to come to Liverpool."

Louise Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said: "This is an exciting and creative scheme which will see the restoration of one of the city's key heritage assets and the creation of a new visitor attraction for an important part of Liverpool. The proposals enable a proud brewing tradition in the city to become the focus of regeneration. I back these proposals."

Jenny Douglas, head of area priorities for Liverpool Vision, said: "The Baltic Triangle is already an exciting place to work, live and visit but is only at the start of its transformation from an industrial heartland to a dynamic and creative neighbourhood.

"Cains' plans will further enliven the area and, with other projects being developed, help realise its potential to become a compelling distinctive neighbourhood with a real mix of activity for businesses, visitors and residents. The plans will give real impetus to the vision for the Baltic Triangle outlined in the Liverpool City Centre Strategic Investment Framework."

Cllr Steve Munby, cabinet member for living environment and localism at Liverpool City Council, said: "It's fantastic news that Cains is demonstrating its commitment to the city with this proposal. It will create much-needed jobs, secure a historic and beautiful building and help the continued regeneration of the Baltic Triangle. It has my wholehearted support and I look forward to the plans coming to fruition."