Liverpool Waters Peel LP. p.IfWeRanTheZoo

Peel is 10 years in to a 30-year project. Credit: Peel L&P

Peel L&P to refresh £5.5bn Liverpool Waters vision 

The developer is planning to submit amendments to the 30-year strategy this autumn, acknowledging that the “world has changed” since permission for the scheme was granted in 2013. 

Peel L&P is inviting stakeholder feedback to shape what the £5.5bn Liverpool Waters regeneration project will look like going forward as the developer seeks to change the parameters of the masterplan. 

“The world has changed, Liverpool has changed, and the way in which we all live, work, and socialise has changed significantly since we first submitted our proposals in 2013,” said Chris Capes, Peel L&P’s development director for Liverpool Waters. 

“As the custodians of the Liverpool Waters site, it makes sense to revisit the masterplan and make changes which we know will make Liverpool Waters even better.” 

At present, the 30-year planning permission is for the redevelopment of almost 150 acres of former dockland into up to 9,000 homes, 3.3m sq ft of business space, 570,000 sq ft of hotels, 500,000 sq ft of food and beverage space, and up to 4.4m sq ft for parking. 

Liverpool Waters Peel LP. p.IfWeRanTheZoo

Various schemes to improve the public realm and connectivity at Liverpool Waters are planned. Credit: Peel L&P

While details have not yet been provided about how the quantum of development could change, Peel has provided information on several proposals it plans to implement going forward. 

These include: 

  • The creation of a new heritage space in the Clarence Dock neighbourhood of Liverpool Waters called ‘Dockside’, making the most of existing heritage features and increasing water access 
  • A diverse mix of homes that provides something for everyone at all stages of life, including affordable housing 
  • A 2.3km riverside walk from Pier Head to Everton Stadium.  

“The updated masterplan is still hugely ambitious in scale, responds to the needs of our local communities and our climate emergency, and maximises the city’s illustrious heritage, Capes said. 

The decision to revise the masterplan follows a string of major events, both in the city and further afield, that have changed the way places are developed. 

The pandemic has altered living and working habits, which could changed what is required from homes and offices. 

Liverpool was stripped of its UNESCO World Heritage status in 2021 and the city council subsequently adopted a new local plan and a tall buildings strategy, all of which must be taken into account, not just by Peel but by developers across the city. 

The revised Liverpool Waters masterplan also comes in the wake of approval for a 4.7-acre park within the Central Dock neighbourhood and enabling works that could pave the way for 2,300 homes. 

Liverpool Waters Peel LP. p.IfWeRanTheZoo

The Isle of Man Ferry Terminal is due to complete this year. Credit: Peel L&P

Meanwhile, developments valued just shy of £1bn are currently on site. These include the 31-storey Patagonia Place residential development being delivered by X1, Everton FC’s new stadium, and the Isle of Man Ferry Terminal, which is due to complete this year. 

Last month, Peel’s Capes spoke to Place North West about his desire to accelerate development at Liverpool Waters and rebuffed any suggestions that progress to date had been slow. 

“I think we’re going to start seeing a considerable amount of activity over the next two or three years,” he said at the time. 

“These things don’t happen overnight, they take a long time to deliver. We’ve got a 30-year planning permission and we are 10 years in.”   

Peel is holding two in-person sessions to provide more detail on the future of Liverpool Waters and receive feedback on the plans:  

  • Monday 17 April, 4pm – 7pm – Silvestrian Suites, Silvester Street, Liverpool L5 8SE 
  • Tuesday 18 April, 4pm – 7pm – Ten Streets Social, 8 Regent Rd, Liverpool, L3 7BX 

The plans can also be viewed online. 

Your Comments

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Surely Peel should also revise the value of the whole project as it will be much downsized and no longer worth £5.5 billion. I would still like to see some 35-40 talls but do not expect the number envisaged in the original plans.

By Anonymous

4.4m sq ft for parking depending on the layout that could accommodate something in the region of 40,000+ cars, are Peel entering the car park business?

By Liverpolitis

The world has changed but Liverpool certainly hasn’t since the 70s.

By Rab

One 31 story in 10 years. Well that’s progress I suppose. If you’re an arthritic snail ! I’ll be stuck in a corner playing with a balloon hoping someone turns me around before they finish this lot.

By Victor Mildew

What a shame, could have been a beautiful, skyscraper lined area to create a busy hub.

By MC

Oh no. How come I’ve got a gut feeling that there will be no skyscrapers, all buildings will be massively reduced in height and all there will be is houses for family’s and hotels for the Everton stadium. No office space to attract massive overseas investors or big businesses. While I appreciate that Liverpool has a great history, I have started to detest that word heritage. The city is so far behind all UK cities due to the corruption of the council and the limited mindsets of a lot of Liverpool people who are stuck in their ways and refuse to move on from the past. It’s depressing. That’s why I left Liverpool. I’m a scouser but prefer to move with the times and that’s why I’ll stay in Manchester. Thank you

By David

1.1m sq ft more parking space than office space. Seemingly no plans for new public transport infrastructure. What a joke

By Anonymous

David , any chance we could tempt you back to run the council especially the flat earth society , sorry the planners who represent only themselves. Like you i am embarrassed how far behind we have fallen , what is worse its our own doing. The city is contracting and lost its appeal due to the sheer ignorance and poor management of from the council and politicians . I work in Manchester but still live in the city its heartbreaking to see the contrast of a booming Manchester (good on them ) and a declining Liverpool. How dare they inflict a low rise policy on the city its outrageous. Just on Peel they need to do a lot more then fancy presentations and reviews.

By Paul M - Woolton

No skyscrapers… Where is Liverpool
; put on the map build up ….. periodically looking at this skyline the world may well be ‘flat’…….

By Shaun M

Oh my days this masterplan is so depressing…. no high rises (well possibly 3 Nr 15-20 storeys buildings which might as well be 6-10 they make no impact on a skyline).

I honestly give up with Peel. Peel and LCC deserve each other. Managed decline continues with Capes. This Liverpool Waters could have completely revolutionized our skyline but instead they’ve done their outmost to not affect it whatsoever. Such miniscule ambition from all sides, they never mirror what the people want.

This is the worst news we’ve had in a long time.

By mike

Why this obsession with high rise? Paris looks far better without them. Maintain the character of Liverpool. Don’t try to be a second rate New York

By bettycummings

I hope they have lots of extra care and low rise development for the elderly. Everyone deserves to enjoy the view, not just selfish yuppies.

By Kazz

I was originally sceptical about Liverpool and Wirral Waters but have been impressed by the work on both of them, Wirral seeming more ahead but definitely progress in the north docks from the Pier Head onwards. The new Everton stadium looks good too. The three bullets in the article are excellent, especially this: “A diverse mix of homes that provides something for everyone at all stages of life, including affordable housing”. The most depressing thing about Liverpool development is the constant developer application for and planner Council approval of one and two bed boxes in apartment blocks and blocks for students that basically push prices up for renters. The city for two decades at least has lacked homes for families – there is nowhere for the apartment dwellers to move on to so the city loses the graduates, professionals when they want more space, a garden or to have families. Yes there are a few exceptions but not many, and meanwhile the city is still full of derelict buildings that could be converted instead of all the greenfield development going on, in Sefton and Knowsley etc. All the developments I see have public subsidy and not one provides what is in reality affordable housing – it’s just subsidy for developers. I was converted to the Peel project after seeing a presentation at the Regen conference in 2018. I wrote a friend in New York (a Scouse expat and supporter of the plans) – “I’m now quite impressed and think they may actually create nice sustainable new waterfront neighbourhoods. Your optimism is bearing some fruit (and the Everton stadium may happen).” These schemes are good because the blueprint is to actually create new neighbourhoods, not just development.

By Kiron Reid

I can’t understand the comments comparing Liverpool to Manchester. Manchester is a disaster, one ugly looking town,, that. Liverpool has its own character, explore it.

By Step

Sea levels will rise,why don’t they plan for that instead of burying there head in the sand.its a fact they will rise,what are the plans for that

By Anonymous

There needs to be range of mid to high density buildings to maximise the lands potential. See how out of place the suburban housing estates have become to see how building low density in a city centre back fires down the line.

By Anonymous

Manchester based Peel and their empty promises. Sigh.

By Michael McDonut

I am not sure why folk are moaning so much. Personally, I liked the mixed use and variation in building size. There are tall buildings still for those that like them – and still at the level outlined originally (meaning 2 x 170m+, 2 x 140m+, 3 x 100m+). I think the main thing is have good quality builds.

By Chris

Mind-blowing that people see Manchester as something to look up to. This obsession with second-rate high rises is bizarre and also a little embarrassing when you visit many other major cities in Europe.

As someone who is from Liverpool, but living and working in Manchester, I can assure you that holding onto your city’s heritage is worth a lot more than knocking up dozens of cheaply cladded 40 stories towers to appease overseas developers and buy-to-let hawks. That is not progress for anybody other than VCs.

By Neil

It had taken 15 years to build the Lex and the ploy next to it now looks like it’s being levelled for a £5:00 day car park seriously imagine if Manchester leadership had Liverpool Waterfront ?

By Anonymous

I think that’s a bit unfair on Manchester. I actually think it’s quite beautiful in parts.

Liverpool has the benefit of it’s main architectural assets being compacted. I think the delusion of being the perfect princess has hampered it’s progress and the reality of its short sightedness is far more ugly than towers.

By Anonymous

@anonymous, every development opportunity Sent to me regarding properties in Liverpool all refer to the £5.5 bn investment for LW’s it is part of their marketing strategy. I understand where they are coming from in fact with Evertons new ground and other small but welcome developments IMO they should increase the £5.5 bn to reflect the growing interest in LW.

By Liverpolitis

Yawn! I’ve heard it all before, same old spiel from Peel. Please stop with the old, tired press releases. Until Peel builds something substantial and impressive I won’t be a fan.

By LordLiverpool

So slow….the Crowne Plaza on Princess Dock was completed 25 years ago. That particular Dock still isn’t completely occupied. What happened to the new cruise terminal and hotel? Everton’s stadium has been a saviour for the north docks, so hoping this will become a catalyst, although if it’s not finished in 25 years, I won’t be surprised. It’s a long term projext.

By Mike Mooney

Outside of the waterfront Liverpool is really not all that, I know it hurts to hear but much of it is underdeveloped, run down and ugly. There are many reasons for this and they are mostly the same ones that afflicted the whole of the north Post war onwards. It needs investment. It needs development period. This is a start but there needs to be a lot more of them.

By Anonymous

like the open character and green spaces.hope individual plots are of high quality.also I think the taller buildings are reserved for the king Edward area

By Steven Power

Absolute shameful … 10 years and nothing! City skyscrapers and added vibrancy to Liverpool’s energetic city to low cost housing ? Are you really selling that Mr Capes? Shame on Peel !

By Peter Harris

@ April 15 , 12.12am…yes you are right there are many ugly , undeveloped bits in Central Liverpool that need attention asap , but I think you will find much to be admired away from the waterfront.
You should venture out to Sefton Park and the grand houses and Palm House, the Hope Street area with 2 cathedrals and many streets of grandeur, Calderstones Park and tree-lined boulevards, and there`s much more.

By Anonymous

You only have to look at Media City for evidence of Peel’s approach. Planning permission in 2016 for 8 or 9 buildings…one built and that was by a developer who bought a plot for Peel. They obtained a very beneficial planning permission for MediaCity without time restrictions and haven’t delivered anything like they promised…..Salford Planners remain silent.

By anonymous

Peel only build in Merseyside when grants are available and/or others pay.

By Eric

No doubt Peel have laboured on this but not helped by the UNESCO strangulation, plus the Liverpool professional Nimbys.
Peel have shown they can work with Moda . Vermont ,and Romal so hopefully more to come from those partnerships.
The big plus would be for Peel to get the Cruise Terminal built as part of a high-rise project of hotel or flats.

By Anonymous

Not 1 skyscraper on the most perfect skyline is a disgrace build them!

By Arda

Inevitable surely. Bungalows not skyscrapers please.

By Anonymous

Anonymous 0950, to be fair to Peel they are cracking on with Trafford waters and a few other things like Therme. No skyscrapers though.

By Anonymous

Wonderful plans but be ambitious and create really tall.skyscapers that show the it truly be a large wonderful eye catching city. Be prepared to challenge outdated views about tall buildings

By Anonymous

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