Car park at the ACC Liverpool complex was devastated by the blaze on New Year’s Eve last year and almost 2,000 vehicles that remain will not be removed before work starts. Tony McDonough reports
Demolition work on the Liverpool multi-storey car park that was devastated by fire on New Year’s Eve last year is set to begin in October.
Almost 2,000 vehicles still remain in the car park, part of the ACC Liverpool complex, and they will not be removed before the demolition takes place – although some personal belongings may be recovered.
Next Friday (September 28), Liverpool City Council’s cabinet will discuss a report detailing the complex logistical plans have been drawn up to take down the car park which has 1,191 vehicles inside it – of which 1,033 are completely burnt out.
High temperatures
Mersey Fire and Rescue Service recently concluded that temperatures during the blaze reached 1,000 degrees celcius, far higher than the previous estimate of 600 degrees celcius.
Work will only start once agreement is received from the Association of British Insurers regarding the approach to the demolition and the process of removing personal belongings from the cars that are not burnt out.
Video and pictures show full devastation of car park blaze – click to see more
An application for a new, nine-floor car park for 1,650 vehicles at Monarch’s Quay will be considered by the planning committee on October 9. It will be funded by a combination of general council spending and money generated from the insurance pay out from the fire.
The new car park will be fitted with CCTV and payments system, electric charging points, sprinkler system, 15 motorcycle spaces and 50 cycle spaces. It will also have 100 disabled parking spaces and fully accessible fire evacuation lifts.
Subject to planning approval, the new car park will be built in front of Exhibition Centre Liverpool on former infilled docks by constructors Willmott Dixon, and is planned for completion by spring 2020.
Temporary facility
As a temporary measure the council is also erecting a four floor, 550 space car park adjacent to the current car park to support events at the waterfront venues. This will be completed and ready for operation in November. The car park will also have 100 disabled parking spaces and fully accessible fire evacuation lifts.
A series of highway improvements are also being proposed to improve access into and out of the car park, especially after sell-out events at ACC Liverpool, to reduce congestion in the city centre.
Mayor Joe Anderson said: “Working out how to take down the existing car park has been a hugely complex and detailed piece of work which puts public safety first.
“It has been nine months since the fire, and in that time an incredible amount of hard work has gone in to coming up with a temporary facility to enable ACC Liverpool to continue functioning as normal but also designing and submitting plans for a new car park.
“We must not forget that it has been a traumatic process for those whose cars were inside and have had to go through the process of negotiating an insurance claim.”