Council bosses are hugely excited about landmark plans to improve the famous coastline of the city
Liverpool Council is working up a landmark new vision for the city’s waterfront
Liverpool waterfront will be “completely transformed” in what is being dubbed the biggest change to the world famous coastline in a generation.
Earlier this week, the ECHO revealed hugely ambitious plans from Liverpool City Council to revitalise the city’s 10km waterfront, with plans for new walking routes, parks and even a beach to line the stretch of the city running from Otterspool in the south to Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium in the north – along the banks of the River Mersey. The aim is to reconnect the city with its famous waterfront, making it safer, healthier and more accessible for all.
The new vision centres around a new Merseyfront Walkway, described as a continuous “green ribbon” that would connect the waterfront from Otterspool in the south to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium in the north. The council said this would act as a “social, ecological, and active-travel backbone for the city.”
Running parallel to this, there would be a series of public-realm improvements to various inland routes, including proposals to reimagine some of the city’s busiest thoroughfares as new linear parkways that will priorities pedestrians, cyclists and the city region’s planned new rapid transit transport network.
These include The Otter’s Pool – a project based around ecological restoration, where a new park will provide space for community and educational events.
There are also plans for a new park in the north called Kingsway Park – establishing a new east-west green link, to connect hinterland neighbourhoods including Kirkdale and Everton.
A Baltic Beach proposal would aim to connect the Baltic area of the city with the River Mersey – including greater activation and use of the water spaces.
The Promenade at Otterspool(Image: Andrew Teebay/Liverpool Echo)
Brunswick Market is also seen as an opportunity for a new mixed use and creative destination and higher density development in the Brunswick area, with significant activation on the water’s edge to create a new community hub.
The plans have been put forward in a cabinet report, which is likely to be signed off at a meeting this week.
Speaking ahead of that meeting, Cllr Nick Small, the council’s cabinet member for growth and the economy, said the proposals represented the biggest changes to Liverpool’s warterfront in a generation.
He told the ECHO: “We are talking about the biggest transformation of the waterfront in a long time.
“We have a globally significant waterfront in Liverpool and of course everyone knows the Pier Head and the Three Graces. But there is a 10 kilometre stretch from Festival Gardens to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium, with two big developments in Central Docks and Festival Gardens set to bookend that route.
“So this is about what can be done right across that 10km stretch. We think things can be much more cohesive and linked together.”
Cllr Small said the most “exciting” aspect of these plans is the Merseyfront Walkway, adding: “People will see an impact there very quickly. It will be so good for football fans to be able to walk all the way from Otterspool to the Hill Dickinson stadium.
“The stadium is a huge part of this vision, it is an anchor for a new community and I know fans are already excited about these plans.”
He added: “I think we have the opportunity to do something globally recognisable here, to make this the best waterfront in the world.”
Explaining the need for individual parks and projects along the route, Cllr Small added: “The animation points are really important, if you look along Otterspool at the moment, there is not a lot for people to do along the route. That’s why we are looking at mixed-use projects, new parks and green spaces and great public realm to animate the route.
“This is a 30-year-vision and I hope people will look back and say we did something amazing.
“Things will look better in 18 months and in 5 years, but in 30 years the Liverpool waterfront will be completely transformed.”