Council to map 20-year St Helens overhaul

Liverpool City Council has given the green light to a plan to regenerate the Cavern Quarter, Whitechapel and Williamson Square as it begins exploring funding options for the project.

A police and fire station residential conversion, and a Home Bargains store are also expected to receive planning permission next week.

Following the closure of one of the pools in April last year, repair works have completed and the sports facility is set to reopen on Monday 9 March.

A scheme that would have brought 560 apartments to Liverpool has been reduced to 452 units following discussions between the developer and Liverpool City Council.

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, has set up an independent commission aimed at creating a vision for 17 town centres to ensure their “prosperous and sustainable long-term future”.

The developer-contractor is in talks to take over development of the stalled 1,000-bedroom student accommodation scheme on the edge of Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter from Elliot Group.

A masterplan for Cavern Quarter and Williamson Square in Liverpool is due to be signed off by the council, outlining a vision to turn the areas into "global destinations overflowing with culture, music and performance".

The developer has acquired 12 Hanover Street, a five-storey, grade two-listed building, for around £4m with a view to creating what it claims would be the city’s first five-star hotel.

A 2.5m sq ft regeneration of the area previously known as the Knowledge Quarter Gateway is expected to be endorsed by Liverpool City Council next week, enabling schemes to start.