Construction underway on 31-storey Liverpool tower
Main contractor Vermont Construction has officially broken ground on X1 Developments and Starlight Investments’ 278-flat project on Princes Dock.
Having finished the groundworks for the 31-storey scheme, Vermont is targeting a late 2025 completion date.
The tower has been designed by Falconer Chester Hall and includes a commercial ground floor unit, residential lounge, games area, fitness centre, dance and yoga studio, coworking spaces, and more.
Vermont has been attached to the scheme for years, helping it secure planning permission in 2021. The contractor’s chief executive, Mark Connor, said: “As a Liverpool business we are very proud to continue to play our part in the regeneration of the city’s waterfront and iconic skyline.”
Your Housing Group had previously been developing the site but sold the project to X1 in February last year. American-based Starlight Investments acquired the scheme in September in its first foray into the UK build-to-rent market. Starlight has kept on X1 as the development manager.
Daniel Drimmer, founder and chief executive of Starlight, described the Liverpool scheme as a “landmark project”.
He added: “We eagerly anticipate introducing our residential platform and utilising our management expertise to contribute essential new rental supply to the region.
“As part of our unwavering commitment to growth, we harbour strong ambitions to further establish our presence in the UK.”
The apartment block is part of Peel Waters’ £5bn Liverpool Waters scheme, a 150-acre regeneration project that includes the new Everton Stadium and the Isle of Man Ferry.
Nick Sweeney, chief executive of X1, said: “Collaboration is at the heart of the vision for Liverpool Waters and together with our strategic partners we are not only reshaping the cityscape but crafting a new, vibrant and thriving community.
“Our journey at Liverpool Waters exemplifies the power of synergy and we are delighted to be working with Starlight, Vermont & Peel Waters once again, sharing collective vision and expertise to continue the regeneration at Liverpool Waters.”
Chris Capes, director of development at Liverpool Waters, described how the new tower would fit in with its surroundings.
“This new development will offer new, high-quality homes and be yet another addition to the thriving Princes Dock community,” Capes said. “With hundreds of new homes and Grade A office space sitting alongside bars, restaurants, hotels and more, Princes Dock is really flourishing.
Capes continued: “We can actually see this new development from the Liverpool Waters team office, with the tower crane creating a visual reminder of this significant milestone in the continued regeneration of the Docks. We are looking forward to seeing this project come out of the ground over the coming months.”
I’d say they’ve done more than break the ground.. it’s already about 3 floors above ground, haha.
By Anonymous
Headline fixed, thanks for the heads up.
By Julia Hatmaker
Julia, you need to be careful with all these positive stories about Liverpool. Where will all the moaners go now?
By Anonymous
This has been going on for months
By Anonymous
This could and should have been a good deal taller. We all know why it isn’t so I shall celebrate a small win non the less.
By Wirralwanderer
The core shaft has been rising for weeks now so this has been well underway for a while, as regards Princes Dock there is still much to do and lots of land still vacant.
More positive news is that steel is now rising at nearby West Waterloo Dock where Romal`s residential scheme is making good progress.
By Anonymous
World Class no doubt
By Stig
Fantastic news another site underway within this new waterfront neighbourhood.
By Thomas
Good News lets embrace and celebrate a positive for once we just need more of them please. Good luck to all involved. ps where LCC planners on holiday when this was approved ? 31 storeys ? 🙂
By Paul M - Woolton
No doubt it will turn out totally different than the renders as 95% of X1 Developments projects do. It might not even be clad in glass.
By Anonymous
Gee, how unique, zzzz
By Yuri
It appears that the chimney sweeps, bottle washers and wheel tappers have been thwarted again in the progressive development of our fantastic City of Liverpool.
Once again more construction employment for local people. We can believe that more people will be able to find jobs as the former derelict area is developed.
Hurrah Hurrah Hurrah for the project which will bring prospective new employers. A fitting prospective future as smaller employers open local business, shops etc.
Well done to the foresight of Peel Holdings.
Fabric district, Leeds Street, Baltic Triangle, and Allerton Golf Course Hotel.
By Anonymous
We can’t afford cheap developments in locations like this. Would totally ruin it.
By Anonymous
Liverpool is so dead
By Anonymous
This should have been 40 stories. Come get the city moving once again!
I hope the council forces the developer to faithfully produce a building as depicted in the renderings.
By Anonymous
Is this affordable housing or another pipe dream for the less affluent?
By Dave
@ Jan 11 10.46pm, affordable,why does everything have to be affordable? If I want food or clothes at the price I can afford then I shop around. For some Liverpool is not allowed to have even moderately expensive housing cos we’re all about dumbing down and not sticking your head above the parapet. Is individuality not allowed in Liverpool?
By Anonymous
More affordable housing then? The horror of being cooped up on a 20th floor flat with zero control over the noise from anti-social neighbours from who-knows-where.
Looks like all that working-class struggle in the 70s, 80s and 90s to make Liverpool a decent place to live for ordinary working people was in vain after all.
By Anonymous
@January 12, 2024 at 10:18 am Anonymous
The horror? Check out night pictures and videos of the city with lights on they are all very well occupied and popular places to live.
By Anonymous
@Yuri. I like the design, yes other cities have similar buildings but that’s true throughout history.
By Anonymous
Liverpool still looks better fact !!!!!!
By Anonymous
Going off previous X1 developments, the tower won’t look anywhere near as good as the render suggests. See X1 Mediacity render vs reality.
By Tim Schluck
A positive element of a good masterplan!
By The North Shore
From a design inspired by a fruit juice carton.
By Matthew Jones
@Jan 12, 2.51pm Maybe we should call it the Fruit Juice Carton, after all London has The Cheese Grater , The Walkie Talkie The Shard, etc, it’s modern architecture.
I’d imagine if we had a Zaha Hadid building you’d have to go and sit in a dark room.
By Anonymous
Peels vision for Princess Dock has turned out a joyless depressing place to be, I cant imagine living there is much fun….
By Anonymous
Desperate and joyless towers. High rise, low quality.
By HD
It’s to tall for the area no more than 20 high please it will just upset the area thanks
By Mike fowler
Good to see,hopefully more to come,
By Lee
All of you moaners make me laugh, ugly depressing flats blah blah blah. Would you all rather we just kept it derelict for the rats and pigeons? Stop bloody moaning!
By Anonymous
@January 12, 2024 at 4:27 pm
Anonymous
Plenty of people do live there though. So that’s just your preference.
By Anonymous
This looks really good. Not sure why all the moaning!
By Chris
moaning,? Oh dear there’s a sign the argument has been lost. Anyone with eyes would ‘moan’ , this is neither good nor interesting. Simply not good enough.
By Anonymous
The land is private property. So they can build what they like, more or less, for their own private benefit. That explains why British major cities are so world-beatingly attractive to live . Visit Copenhagen, Zurich, Munich, Oslo, Vienna, Prague. What awful places!
By Anonymous
More high rise the better in my view, just my opinion but planning should be a lot more relaxed and make decisions quicker, let’s get on with more development
By Larry
One of the factors in sustaining city centre economies ie shops, cafes, bars galleries, etc is having a large enough population to keep them viable. That is the reason why Liverpool needs as many people as possible living in the inner city, and the best way to achieve that is through the use of high-rise. Outside of the city centre, say along Edge Lane or Scotland Rd, I see acre upon acre of land vacant where well designed family terraced housing could be built.
By Anonymous
But people don’t want to be around high rise buildings, even in NYC businesses in mid rise areas do better. In Manchester we have our own evidence at Deansgate Square where nobody spends time and the businesses haven’t taken off.
By Gilly
Great news and great views of the Mersey…..Saving and keeping our lush green pastures and parks….Sure the ‘urgency to build up’ ,I am hoping will gain momentum . Maybe add a few taller (60 floors) ,to Liverpool City skyline…
By Shaun Mackin
‘But people don’t want to be around high rise buildings, even in NYC businesses in mid rise areas do better’ Doh! Talls in this country are mid rise in New York ! It takes time to build community if there is still building going on that doesn’t mean people don’t like them. Modern cities grow with properly zoned tall buildings and people do want high rise otherwise they wouldn’t be built and sold as so many are. Just because it doesn’t agree with your inner narrative doesn’t mean it’s reality. Some people need to climb outside their head for 5 minutes and take a look around. This is a good thing.
By Anonymous