Four developers compete to build 1,000 new homes

Four developers are competing for the opportunity to build up to 1,000 homes on the site of the former International Garden Festival in Liverpool. Tony McDonough reports

Festival Gardens
Up to 1,000 homes will be built at the Festival Gardens site in Liverpool

 

Liverpool City Council is moving closer to appointing a development partner to build more than 1,000 homes on the former International Garden Festival site.

This flagship project on the waterfront in the south of the city has been on the cards for a number of years. Originally the council wanted to build around 1,500 homes and also a new ferry terminal. However, those plans have since been scaled back.

On Monday the authority announced that, along with its procurement partner Montagu Evans, it would reveal the shortlist of its potential development partners in spring this year for the 27-acre site.

However, Place North West is reporting that four well-established developers – Vistry, CERT Property, Muse, and a joint venture between Igloo Regeneration with Urban Splash, were on the shortlist. All have a strong track record in Merseyside and the North West.

Following the call for bidders in October 2024, dialogue is ongoing with a number of parties who are expected to offer outline proposals. An invitation to shortlisted parties will be issued in March. The selection of a preferred bidder remains on track for September.

£53m has already been invested into the prime waterfront site and surrounding area to de-risk and accelerate delivery on this remediated brownfield land.

Remediation and infrastructure installation has been completed by VINCI. In August 2023 a new green space, Southern Grasslands, was opened as part of the £50m remediation of the site.

In 1984, more than 3m people flocked to the location for the International Garden Festival. However, for the last few years attempts to bring the site back to life have led to a number of false dawns.

Previous development partner ION Property Development’s exclusivity has also now expired and a mutually agreeable settlement with the council has been agreed.

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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.

Cllr Nick Small, Liverpool Council’s Cabinet member for Economy and Growth, said: “The Festival Gardens development zone is a once in a generation opportunity and we’re keen to ensure a scheme that befits its amazing location. 

“We’ve had some very positive conversations with a number of high-quality developers and we now look forward to seeing their visions in detail as they seek to transform the housing offer in this area.”

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