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| Standing by his plans: Councillor Joe Anderson Image (C)2012 Adam Wareing |
Developments like the Great Homer Street District Centre (formerly Project Jennifer), Liverpool Waters, and the Football Quarter could significantly revitalise the area, but each has significant hurdles to overcome.
The city’s predicament was highlighted in a study by the GMB, published on gmb.org.uk in August 2011, that found Liverpool had the highest rate of unemployment in the North West at that time.
And in a further study also available on the GMB site, from January 2012, Paul McCarthy, Regional Secretary for the North West Region said: “There are parts of the region like Liverpool and Knowsley in such despair that more than a quarter of households with people of working age have no one in work. The prospects for these are bleak...”
Liverpool was also officially “…the most deprived city in England“, as revealed by David Bartlett on liverpoolecho.co.uk in August 2011.
In an article on guardian.co.uk, from January 2012, Amelia Gentleman also showed some of Liverpool’s hardship by talking to Thomas Bebb, 45, from Kirkdale — who, after debts and bills are paid, only has £20 per week left from his benefits for food and clothes.
However, several major schemes, have been proposed that have the potential turn the city’s fortunes around.
Liverpool City Council and South Sefton Council launched the North Liverpool & South Sefton Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) following a review in 2009.
The SRF summary can be viewed online from liverpoolvision.co.uk.
In the summary’s foreword, written by Liverpool City Council leader, Joe Anderson and the leader of Sefton Borough Council, Peter Dowd, it is stated that the framework was intended to offer: “… an overarching vision and integrated long term strategy to deliver fundamental and sustainable change in North Liverpool and South Sefton.”
However, so far, it has been far from plain sailing for a couple of the proposals mentioned in the document.
The Great Homer Street District Centre (formerly Project Jennifer), began in 2000, according to greathomerstreet.co.uk, when local residents sought to improve the area.
As the website outlines, the regeneration scheme would include new homes, business accommodation, retail space, and a Sainsbury‘s that would be the largest superstore in Merseyside.
It is believed the development would generate more than 1,000 jobs.
Liverpool City Council took on the scheme and requested developer proposals in 2003, but since then the £150m project has hit some snags.
A well-publicised dispute involving Sainsbury’s and rival supermarket Tesco threatened progress, but Tesco’s appeal against their planning permission refusal was rejected by the High Court in 2010.
The project now looks set to be dragged through further legal proceedings, as an inquiry is due to be held some time in the summer of 2012, after local businesses objected to the compulsory purchase orders (CPOs).
Cllr Anderson said: “I’m confident that we will get the desired outcome in the public inquiry and I’m sure the area will finally be developed.”
Liverpool Waters is a project designed to revive disused areas of Liverpool’s dockland.
According to investmerseyside.com, the scheme will create offices, over 9000 new homes, a cultural building, a new cruise terminal and support local shops and restaurants.
The 55 storey Shanghai Tower will also be built, which would be the UK’s tallest building outside of London.
However, this scheme is also currently facing a significant problem.
In a story on bbc.co.uk, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, (UNESCO), were quoted as saying that the current proposals would cause "a serious deterioration of [Liverpool's] architectural and town-planning coherence, a serious loss of historical authenticity and an important loss of cultural significance".
And that "several key views from the north will be blocked by the new developments, while also the hard-won views of the Three Graces from Kings Dock will disappear against a backdrop of supertowers".
There is a fear that the city’s World Heritage Site status could be put in jeopardy, unless the plans are changed.
Liberal Democrat councillor Richard Kemp has also been critical of the scheme, as reported by Luke Traynor on liverpoolecho.co.uk.
In the story, Cllr Kemp states that there is “hard evidence” that people come to Liverpool because of its World Heritage Site status.
He also said: “I choose having tourist money in the bank now over possible investment money in the future.”
In a story on liverpoolecho.co.uk by David Bartlett, Cllr Anderson has been quoted as saying: “From the city's point of view we want both – to retain the World Heritage Site status and to secure investment that the Peel project brings, so we will be working to reach a compromise.”
The head of Liverpool City Council believes that the development could bring in around £5.5bn of investment and between 15,000 and 20,000 jobs.
Cllr Anderson said, in an interview with The Brain in the Cookie Jar: “…I think we’d be absolutely mad to turn that down.
“The reality is, is I don’t believe people in America or in Scandinavia, or anywhere in the world, wake up of a morning and say “let’s have a look at World Heritage sites‘ status certificates, to see who, where we will visit today”.
“They visit Liverpool because of what we’ve got and the people that we have, and I don’t believe for one minute that it will impact on our tourism sector or our industry. In fact, on the contrary, if we redevelop that part of North Liverpool, and create those jobs and opportunities, I believe we will get more people coming to the city, not less.”
A proposal that could utilise the international appeal, and uniquely close proximity of the city‘s Premier League football clubs is the Football Quarter.
The scheme is a red and blue effort from two supporters’ groups, Keeping Everton In Our City and the Spirit of Shankly group, combined to be called the All Together Now Group.
A prospectus, available to download at thefootballquarter.com, was launched recently that says that plans will include a communal open-air ‘Fan Zone’ for supporters on match days, as well as museums, hotels, bars, cafes and transport links.
However, it seems the scheme still has a long way to go.
Dr. Paul Gardner, 28, from Kirkby, Youth Officer at Spirit of Shankly said: “The current obstacles are clear in this current economic climate with funding and support from the business community vital and difficult. But with innovative ideas and drive these can be overcome.”
He added: “The Football Quarter aims to be inclusive rather than exclusive. It has the ability to massively improve the North Liverpool area, but it must not detract from the essence that the area holds with Stanley Park at its heart. Whilst commercial development will be a big driver, community needs must lie at the forefront of any regeneration to deliver the best for all stakeholders.”
Cllr Anderson also spoke about the challenges the Football Quarter faces.
He said: “…whilst I think it’s viable and do-able and, you know, achievable, and it’s something that we should aspire to make happen, the reality is…Everton don’t have a lot of money.”
He added that for the current idea to work, both clubs would require new stadiums, but re-iterated that the plan was possible.
And said: “From our point of view, from city council’s point of view, we’re doing all we can behind the scenes to encourage it to happen.”
The MP for Liverpool Walton, Steve Rotheram, expressed his views on the plans.
He said: “…progress has been made in formulating outline proposals, but it will take an enormous effort to get the initiative from the page, to physical development of the area.”
Mr Rotheram acknowledged, however, that the potential for change in the area, both physically and economically, was “absolutely huge” and that the proposals “…could dovetail nicely with the regeneration of the wider area within North Liverpool.”
Another project which could give the city a significant boost is the proposed SuperPort.
Katerina Kerr, in a story on reported on ifw-net.com, said: “The plans will see the port gain a post-panamax-capable terminal, new multimodal facilities and almost a million square metres of storage and distribution space.”
She also stated that it would generate 1,200 jobs.
So, while Liverpool is currently facing adversity, if the proposed regeneration projects can get going, and remain sustainable, the city‘s future, and in particular that of North Liverpool, may not be that bleak after all.
- Alteration 02/02/12: In the Cllr Anderson quote in paragraph 18, "public enquiry" was changed to "public inquiry".
- In paragraph 17 the word "inquest" was changed to "inquiry".
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