John Whittaker’s Peel Group has been granted planning consent for its £5.5bn Liverpool Waters scheme.
The developer has won outline consent for the 150-acre regeneration project on the waterfront of the River Mersey, close to central Liverpool.
However, the decision will now be referred to the government which will decide whether to call the scheme in for a public inquiry.
The 18m sq ft Liverpool Waters contains offices, including the Shanghai Tower – designed to be the UK’s tallest building outside London – 9,000 homes, a cultural building and a cruise liner terminal.
It forms a key component of the overall Peel Waters scheme, including the 17m sq ft Wirral Waters development on the opposite bank of the river. Peel was granted outline consent for the £4.5bn Wirral Waters in late 2010.
The scheme has been beset by controversy in recent months. English Heritage and UNESCO, the United Nations’ cultural agency, have criticised the impact the project would have on the historic Liverpool waterfront. Last month, Peel director Lindsey Ashworth told the Liverpool Daily Post that Peel is prepared to walk away from the project if the government calls it in for a public inquiry.
Joe Anderson, leader of Liverpool council, said: “Today’s decision to grant planning permission for Liverpool Waters is one of the most significant and far-reaching made in Liverpool’s recent history. It is a vote of confidence for a new beginning of a great city.”
daniel.cunningham@estatesgazette.com
