North West developer Urban Splash, which has a strong record of development in Liverpool, is to take on the city’s Festival Gardens site in a joint venture that could see 1,000 homes built. Tony McDonough reports
North West developer Urban Splash is teaming up with igloo Regeneration to take on the Festival Gardens site in Liverpool.
In 1984 the south Liverpool waterfront site was the location for the International Garden Festival which attracted 3m visitors. Since then, apart from a short-lived venue called Pleasure Island, the site has remained empty. A new park called Southern Grasslands was created in 2023.
Former Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson put forward plans for up to 2,500 new homes at the site, as well as leisure facilities and a Mersey Ferry terminal, back in 2017. But that never came to fruition.
Latest plans proposed by Liverpool city council would see the construction of up to 1,000 new homes and now, following a procurement process launched in autumn 2024, Urban Splash and igloo have been chosen to take the scheme forward.
Since it was founded in 1993, Urban Splash has delivered a number of regeneration schemes in Liverpool and Manchester. Liverpool projects include the Ropewalks, Concert Square, Tea Factory, Old Haymarket and the Matchworks in Garston.
There have been a number of schemes delivered by igloo in locations including Ouseburn Valley Newcastle, Trent Basin Nottingham and Dundashill Glasgow.
Montagu Evans is assisting the city council as part of a multi-disciplinary team comprised of project delivery consultant and construction expert Mace, architecture and urban design group Metropolitan Workshop and architectural practice Shedkm.
This prime brownfield development scheme, one of the largest in northern England, has the backing of Homes England and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
Part of a wider 90-acre site, Festival Gardens’ Development Zone extends to 27 acres and sits three miles south of Liverpool city centre.
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Nick Small, said: “We are thrilled to announce Urban Splash and igloo Regeneration as our development partners for Festival Gardens.
“This visionary joint venture is a bold step towards delivering an amazing housing scheme befitting this stunning location.
“These developers have a fabulous track record in delivering outstanding innovative and sustainable projects of the highest order. I can’t wait for our residents to see the details over the coming months.”
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Development will be centred on phased, residential-led plans and multigenerational living with a range of housing types and tenures, maximising delivery and including more than 20% affordable housing.
A council meeting in September will seek permission for the authority to enter into contract with the new JV company.