Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson meets apprentices working on the £140m conversion of the city’s historic Heaps Rice Mill into a mixed used development. Tony McDonough reports

Leader of Liverpool City Council Liam Robinson has visited the site of the £140m Heaps Rice Mill development in Liverpool to meet with apprentices.

Developer Legacie started work on the project in late 2022 after taking it over from another developer. Located on the edge of the city centre, the scheme will see 620 new apartments built as well as an underground spa and museum.

Grade II-listed Heaps Rice Mill in Pownall Street dates back to around 1780. IT was home to Joseph Heap & Sons Ltd, which once ground rice for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies. However the building had been in a derelict state for a number of years.

In 2023 Legacie announced it had secured a £60m development loan from Merseyside Pension Fund towards the cost of construction. Legacie will also build a 16-storey residential block on the surrounding land.

Cllr Robinson visited the site to meet apprentices who are training in trades including carpentry, bricklaying, painting and decorating, as well as administrative roles in Legacie’s head office.

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Legacie chief executive, John Morley, said: “It was a fantastic experience for our young people to meet Cllr Robinson, where they shared hopes and aspirations for their chosen careers.

“Providing opportunities for young people, particularly those facing social and economic barriers, is really important to us.

“It is something we intend to continue and build on as we diversify the Legacie portfolio and expand our pipeline of development sites across Liverpool and the North West.”