Kings Dock development sites up for sale

After acquiring the freehold of Kings Dock in September, Liverpool City Council has put seven prime development plots on the market.

The plots range between half an acre and three acres in size and are available for a variety of uses, including leisure, hotel, residential, and offices.

The council has instructed CBRE to sell the sites, with expressions of interest invited by 24 January 2020. The two-stage process will see submissions from the market before a shortlist is announced next year; the purchase price will vary depending on what is proposed and which plot is being bought.

The council acquired the leasehold of Kings Dock in 2017 and bought the freehold for a nominal £1 sum earlier this year. Under this move, the council’s ownership now includes the Liverpool Arena; the exhibition and convention centre; the former multi-storey car park, now demolished after being severely damaged by a fire in 2017; and the undeveloped land bordered by Monarchs Quay and Half-Tide Wharf.

The sale of the undeveloped plots sounds the final death knell for proposals to build a 45,000 sq ft office on the site. Developer YPG had proposed building the office for The Contact Company, a call centre business owned by Liverpool LEP chairman Asif Hamid, prompting a backlash from the development community.

The land was originally suggested to be used for options including an “Olympic-standard ice rink, extreme sports centre, and quality restaurants,” according to the LEP.

A masterplan for Kings Dock was put forward in 2017 with a focus on tourism use.

Andrew Byrne, associate director at CBRE’s office agency team in Liverpool, said: “We are pleased to be appointed by Liverpool City Council to bring to market the Kings Dock land. The site offers an exciting opportunity for experienced developers to deliver a mixed-use landmark scheme in an excellent location on Liverpool’s iconic waterfront, close to some of the city’s most popular attractions.

“With a global perspective and exceptional economic strengths, the city is becoming increasingly attractive particularly with overseas investors who identify Liverpool as a real source of opportunity for inward investment.”

Elsewhere within Kings Dock, a replacement multi-storey car park for its fire-damaged counterpart was approved in October last year. The nine-level car park is to provide 1,640 spaces and is currently being built by contractor Willmott Dixon.

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A key site and absolutely critical that the council gets it right, in every respect.

Encouragingly, they have upped their game of late. Tony Reeves seems to be having quite the impact, I hear. Watching this with keen interest…One hopes CBRE are kicking the doors in of some major developers.

By Sceptical

Make it the go to place for exhibitions/conferences. Add to it’s value of what it does best. It is already successful encourage more of the same related infrastructure and support sectors.Some of the areas need animating and please, please provide a bus link service from L1 and Lime Street.

By Liverpolitis

Oh dear Joe. Looks like your pal isn’t going to get his massive call center and we are not going to have our waterfront blighted. Now let’s try ‘harder’ shall we when interested parties make contact with good plans for our waterfront.

By George

Come back Pinnacle, North Point Global and PHD1 all is forgiven.

By BDAY

As long as ALL the local young developers are kept well away from these sites!! There is a famous site on Leeds Street at the moment where he has had his flashy site hoarding up since January 2018….and still in November 2019 has only got the RC frame up to first floor level (I’m spending more per week on my single storey rear extension at home!!!). I would love to see their cash flow projection for the job….week 1: set up site hoarding, weeks 2 to 75: employ two labourers to make tea and mess about on site!!!!

By Old Hall Street

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