Liverpool One Stakeholder Conference postponed until 2008

Grosvenor has cancelled its second Stakeholder's Conference in succession due to a clash with a similar event being held by Liverpool City Council's Countdown for 2008 group.

The popular half-day conferences are organised by Grosvenor to update the public and businesses on the progress of the £950m Liverpool One project around Paradise Street and are due to be held at the FACT centre every 12 weeks.

The last event, scheduled for August, was also cancelled, to allow for further work on the marketing campaigns before the update.

Lorraine Dolding, Grosvenor's Paradise Street Development Area project co-ordinator, said in an email to regular attendees: "Once again we are postponing the Stakeholders' Conference programmed for 20 November because Grosvenor, Liverpool Vision, Liverpool City Council and other agencies are having a similar event in the same month. This event will be covering the city-wide work that needs to be done before the start of 2008, the opening of the Arena and Convention Centre and the opening of Liverpool One. Separate invitations are being sent out for this.

"The next Paradise Project Stakeholders' Conference is being arranged for early in the New Year."

Dolding also gave a brief update of the project, adding: "Meanwhile excellent progress is being made on all aspects of the project and we are confident that we shall be able to deliver the first major part of Liverpool One before the middle of 2008, with most of the rest of the project before the end of the summer. This will be six months earlier than originally intended, so that the openings will be part of Capital Of Culture year.

"Of course, some buildings are already complete and occupied. The next part will include the John Lewis store and Debenhams, with the new Chavasse Park a few months later. The Hilton and Novotel Hotels will open in 2009.

"When we meet in the New Year we shall be able to tell you about the Consumer Marketing Campaign and the preparations being made by the Liverpool One Management Company."

The council's Countdown group is planning to hold its event on 1 November, although the date has yet to be confirmed.