Plans to build 800 new homes on the former Festival Gardens site in Liverpool – 1,700 fewer than the 2,500 envisaged in 2017 – move forward as the city council approves legal agreements with developers. Tony McDonough reports

Plans to build 800 new homes on the former Festival Gardens site in Liverpool can now move forward to the design and consultation stage after key agreements were approved.

In 2017 former Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson proposed building up to 2,500 new homes on what is now known as the Festival Gardens site, as well as a new Mersey Ferry terminal. The ferry idea was soon shelved and the number of homes cut to 1,500.

In August 2025 LBN revealed North West developer Urban Splash and igloo Regeneration had won a competitive tender to take forward the development with the likely number of “up to” 1,000 homes.

However, just a few weeks later in September the city council said the scheme would now comprise no more than 800 homes.

Now the city council has approved the legal agreements with its preferred development partners Urban Splash and igloo. The agreement follows a competitive procurement process.

Enabling works on the site were completed in January 2024 through funding from Homes England, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Liverpool City Council, leaving the site ready for development.

Current proposals would see approximately 800 homes delivered across the site, including a mix of market and affordable housing.

Up to 441 homes are expected to be delivered in the first phase, helping to meet growing housing demand while enabling significant early progress and transformation from the off.

This development draws on the legacy of the 1984 International Garden Festival, bringing together nature, great design and an inclusive mix of homes to create a community with a distinctive quality.

Developers will now begin the next stage of design work, consultation and business planning prior to the submission of a planning application before the phased delivery of homes gets underway.

In 1984 the south Liverpool waterfront site was the location for the International Garden Festival which attracted 3m visitors. In the last few years the council has created a park called Southern Grasslands at the location.

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Jonathan Falkingham, co-founder of Urban Splash, said: “This is huge progress for Festival Gardens and Liverpool as a whole. It’s a major new development that will not only create a vibrant, inclusive neighbourhood but also provide local employment opportunities on this long-standing site.

“With Urban Splash and igloo working in partnership, we’re combining decades of experience to turn this large-scale regeneration project into a community Liverpool can be proud of. We’re excited to bring this landmark project to life.”