Peel launches consultation on Mersey Ports masterplan

Peel Ports has launched a 13-week public consultation into its 20 year vision for the development of Port of Liverpool and the Manchester Ship Canal.

A draft masterplan was unveiled at Liverpool's Maritime Centre on Tuesday morning which forecasts a 70% growth in tonnage up to 2030 to be handled by Peel Ports Mersey.

Within Peel's consultation document, The Port of Liverpool and The Manchester Ship Canal currently handles more than 40m tonnes of cargo in total, which is forecast to increase to 68.58m tonnes in 20 years, and 16,000 shipping movements a year.

Peel manages the Port of Liverpool and the 36-mile Manchester Ship Canal that links the port to Salford Quays.

Peel's plans include building a new in-river container terminal capable of simultaneously handling two of the new generation of post-Panamax size container ships, which Peel said are too large to enter the Port of Liverpool's enclosed dock system.

The terminal will cost over £300m and is planned for a site on the Mersey close to Royal Seaforth and Gladstone Docks.

Peel said the key elements of the draft Mersey Ports masterplan include:

• Land strategy and 'areas of change'
• Transportation, including road, rail, barge and short-sea shipping
• Socio economic considerations
• Environmental considerations

Gary Hodgson, Peel Ports Mersey managing director, said: "The purpose of the masterplan is to clarify our own strategic planning for the medium to long term – and inform all of our stakeholders; from regional and local planning bodies and transport network providers to port users, employees and, very importantly, people living in local communities, as to how they can expect to see the Port and Ship Canal develop over the coming years. This will be an extensive consultation, and we are asking people to get involved and tell us what they think. All written views will be carefully considered and will help to shape the final version of the masterplan."

Peel said a three-month period of consultation will commence from Tuesday 7 June and close on Monday 5 September 2011.

Contributions can be made in three ways:

• By writing to Mersey Ports Master Plan Consultation, Maritime Centre, Port of Liverpool L21 1LA
• By emailing merseymasterplan@peelports.co.uk
• By completing and returning the questionnaire and comments form, which is available for download from the website, and for collection and completion in person at the nine venues

Peel said a programme of events will also take place in surrounding communities in the coming weeks, at which members of the Peel Ports Mersey team will be available to discuss the plan and answer questions from members of the public.

Consultations will take place at the following venues:

All events will take place between 3.30pm and 7.30pm.