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Liverpool Combined Authority Approves ₤25m Funding to Boost Key Route Network

THE Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have approved a package of ₤25m funding to support 15 highway schemes that will make improvements to the City Region's Key Route Network.

The Key Route Network is made up of the strategic highway routes that are vital to growth in the Liverpool City Region (LCR). Responsibility for network was devolved to the Metro Mayor as part of the City Region's devolution agreement with Central Government.

The funding will support highways improvements in all 6 of the combined authority's districts, as well as upgrades to digital connectivity and bus routes.

Schemes will also include work to improve the condition of the roads, including:- tackling pot holes, and to allow better traffic flow.

Steve Rotheram, Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor, said:- "My key priority is to drive economic prosperity for the whole City Region and ensuring that we have the right transport infrastructure in place is absolutely vital. We have carefully designed our key routes network investment programme to support the economic growth of our Region. This latest wave of funding will improve the state of our roads and enable better traffic flow on key routes across our City Region, bringing benefits for our residents, visitors and businesses."

This ₤25 million investment is supported by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority's Single Investment Fund, funded by capital from central Government's Local Growth Fund 3.

Gateway master plan for Liverpool's ₤2BN flagship regeneration scheme

LIVERPOOL City Council has announced it is to develop a master plan to deliver the regeneration of the gateway site to a ₤2bn flagship regeneration scheme. The Council is today advertising a contract to procure the services of experienced planning experts to independently produce a Spatial Regeneration Framework for the Knowledge Quarter Gateway (KQG) which will look at connecting the City Centre to the scheme with a focus on redeveloping Lime Street area around the Adelphi Hotel.

KQG, which includes Lime Street and Central train Stations, is to many the 1st impression of the larger Knowledge Quarter (KQ Liverpool) Mayoral Development Zone. Key to the report will be dovetailing the proposals from Liverpool John Moores University on its Copperas Hill site, plans for the Fabric District, Merseytravel's plans for Central Station and various private sector schemes.

Liverpool City Council has also set out an ambition to redevelop the Mount Pleasant Car Park area to create an international standard gateway for KQ Liverpool which currently employs 7% of the City's workforce.

The gateway report will also complement the wider regeneration schemes on Lime Street, including the creation of new public realm of front of Lime Street Station and an extended plateau in front of St George's Hall. The City Council will seek to appoint the commissioning of the report on Wednesday, 25 April 2018.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson, who will be opening the City's 1st Regeneration Summit at Liverpool Town Hall in the morning, said:- "Liverpool's Knowledge Quarter is redefining this City's economy, but what is most exciting is its fantastic potential for growth over the coming decade to become a world leading economic engine. The gateway area is the final piece in the jigsaw that will connect the site to the rest of the City Centre and complete the wider regeneration of Lime Street. Its impact cannot be underestimated and I look forward to seeing the proposals take shape over the coming year."

Colin Sinclair, Chief Executive of KQ Liverpool, said:- "The phenomenal growth of KQ Liverpool, along with the ongoing regeneration of Lime Street, has shone the spotlight on KQ Gateway. It represents 1 of the greatest development opportunities in the UK and, along Paddington Village, will have a major impact on the City's:- economy, creating thousands of jobs, in science, tech, health, education, retail and leisure. The SRF will truly allow us to plan a world class development, enabling Liverpool to compete with any City in Europe."

The key planning issues within the area are identified in the emerging Local Plan for Liverpool and include:-

► Increasing the economic potential of KQ Liverpool and attracting and retaining high growth businesses and research grants.

► Supporting and enhancing the retail function of the London Road Shopping Area.

► Supporting the regeneration of the London Road Area and Islington for uses that support KQ Liverpool and deliver Islington Regeneration Company's vision for the area.

► The appropriateness of the area for purpose built student accommodation.

► Improving public realm, connectivity and green infrastructure across the area.

► Bringing under utilised and vacant land / buildings back into productive use.

The Council, which is currently developing the ₤1bn Paddington Village scheme in the heart of the development zone, aims to have the final SRF report on the gateway area, which covers more than 56 acres within the City Centre, by Spring 2019.

Once approved by the Council's cabinet it will be adopted as a Spatial Planning Document to guide all future planning applications in the area and provide developers with detailed information of design and build issues including heights of buildings.

News reports located on this page = 2.

Liverpool Combined Authority Approves ₤25m Funding to Boost Key Route Network

Gateway master plan for Liverpool's ₤2BN flagship regeneration scheme

The key planning issues within the area are identified in the emerging Local Plan for Liverpool and include:-