Council his seeking planning consent for the facility which would be able to handle the world’s biggest vessels and the City Region Combined Authority is being asked for £20m towards the cost. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool’s new £50m cruise liner is about to move a step close to reality with the city council having submitted a planning application for the scheme.
The city is looking to create an “international standard” permanent facility which would enable the city to welcome the world’s biggest cruise ships.
Council chiefs are confident they will have the funding in place to go ahead with the development. They are seeking a £20m contribution from the Liverpool Combined Authority’s Strategic Investment Fund.
The council well then look to identify sources of funding for the remaining £30m.
The application includes the controlled removal of Princes Jetty and the construction of a new terminal set within a statement building, based on a new suspended deck structure in the river.
This year Liverpool welcomed more than 60 vessels, with 120,000 passengers and crew, but the council wants to capitalise on the cruise boom by creating a new passenger and baggage facility, complete with passport control, lounge, café, toilets, taxi rank and vehicle pick up point.
It is estimated the current terminal generates more than £7m a year to the city’s economy.
The application is expected to be heard by the council’s planning committee in January 2018. If approved, site preparation at Princes Dock, in Liverpool Waters, is expected to start in spring 2018.
The council is currently inviting tenders to select a design and build Contractor to construct the facility with a closing date for submissions of Thursday, December 14.
This is a two–stage contract award basis, with the first stage to develop the design and confirm the construction costs with appointed consultancy firm Ramboll UK. The first stage contract is expected to be awarded in March 2018.
Further planning applications could potentially include supplemental projects with a new 200 room hotel and 1,700+ multi-storey car park to enhance the city’s capabilities in handling the next generation of turnaround cruises, which can carry up to 3,600 passengers.
Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: “A new cruise facility is one of the city’s most important regeneration projects of this decade and is vital to growing Liverpool’s tourism economy.
“We want to provide the next generation of super liners and their passengers a world class welcome with a five star experience.
“A new cruise facility will also be a huge boost to our plans to regenerate the North Liverpool docklands and create thousands of new jobs which is why we’re putting together the best team of experts to ensure we build this facility to the very highest standards.”