Entec
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Liverpool's Vision...for a Capital of Culture
Entec Case Study
In October 2003 Entec was commissioned by Liverpool Vision (on behalf of English Partnerships) to undertake an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and produce an environmental statement (ES) for the Kings Waterfront development located on the bank of the river Mersey. The ambitious proposals set by English Partnerships to raise Liverpool's international profile, were to develop a major 80,000 sq ft arena and a 1,500 seat conference facility in time for the 2008 European Capital of Culture celebrations. In addition, the scheme is set to include two hotels, offices, retail outlets and 1,800 residential dwellings.
The commission presented a number of challenges due in part to the tight timescales involved, but more importantly, the sensitivity of the 14.6 hectare location, which lies within the proposed World Heritage Site and directly south of the Grade I listed Albert Dock complex. The site is also bounded by Wapping Dock to the East and HM Customs and Excise building to the south. World Heritage Site status has subsequently been awarded by UNESCO.
The current condition of the Kings Waterfront site is the legacy of work done in the mid 1980's to dredge and in-fill three redundant branch docks and demolish derelict dockside buildings which dated back to approximately 1907. The original masonry dock wall structures remain in situ within the site. Of the three docks, Kings branch docks No. 1 and 2 were infilled using sand dredged from the Mersey, while the third dock, Queens branch Dock No. 2 was infilled using hardcore and other inert material. In recent times the site having been cleared, levelled and hard surfaced has been used mainly as a car parking facility.
Entec agreed the scope and contents of the EIA and ES with Liverpool City Council and a series of meetings followed to refine and agree the assessment methodologies, particularly with regard to townscape and heritage assessment. Throughout the preparation of the ES, Entec liaised extensively with statutory consultees and other key stakeholders, a process which included participation in master planning workshops and exhibitions.
Since submission of the environmental statement in June 2004, Entec has contributed to the statutory consultation process and also addressed the effects of changes to the proposed scheme during the determination of the application. The scheme received planning consent from Liverpool City Council in December 2004 and Entec is currently assisting Liverpool Vision with the discharge of a number of key conditions attached to the consent. Work on the first stage of the site infrastructure commenced on site in June 2005.
The development
of the Kings Waterfront, in conjunction with other schemes such as Paradise
Street, Mann Island and Pier Head are set
to transform
the city centre of Liverpool. These complementary developments are
milestones in the city's regeneration, aiming to further strengthen
links between
the
waterfront
areas and the city centre core, and all in time for the 2008 Capital
of Culture festivities.
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