Final phase of St Paul’s Square launched

Developer English Cities Fund has announced the completion of an eight-storey £32m building in Liverpool city centre.

The opening of No 4 St Paul's Square completes final phase of English Cities Fund's St Paul's Square scheme.

The building provides 109,000 sq ft of Grade A office space and has gained an 'excellent' BREEAM rating.

English Cities Fund, a joint venture between Muse Developments, Legal and General Property and the Homes & Communities Agency, invited businesses from the North West to join special guests Sir Michael Lyons, chairman of ECf, and Lord Heseltine to officially open the building.

Lyons said: "The opening of No 4 St Paul's Square marks a 10 year commitment to Liverpool by the English Cities fund. The St Paul's Square scheme has provided an entirely new focal point for Liverpool's Central Business District and plays a crucial role in the reshaping of the city centre and how it does business.

"ECf was established to show how private sector development and investment skills could work with local partners to change the shape and purpose of neglected city locations. St Paul's square well illustrates the impact that is possible."

The building was designed by architects RHWL and constructed by national contractor Shepherd Construction.

English Cities Fund, with support from Liverpool Vision, was able to take forward the development of the third and final phase of St Paul's Square in August 2009 following investment of £8.8m from North West Development Agency.

The public funding package was made up of £4.2m from the NWDA and £4.6m from the Northwest European Regional Development Fund.

Earlier phases of St Paul's Square has included over 250,000 sq ft of Grade A offices, along with 50 apartments, a 397 space multi-storey car park and a new public square.

Office occupiers include Hill Dickinson, which took the bulk of the first building, and DWF and Edward Symmons in the second.