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PCC completes Canning Place sale, paving the way for major new waterfront redevelopment

1 of Liverpool's most recognisable waterfront sites is now set for a new chapter, as Merseyside's Police and Crime Commissioner completes the sale of Merseyside Police's former Headquarters.

Emily Spurrell has now officially handed over the keys for:- Canning Place to the Government's housing and regeneration agency Homes England following the sale of the site for £17m, ending its long policing history and opening the door for a major new redevelopment.

Homes England will now move to appoint a consultant team and carry out stakeholder and public engagement, building on Merseyside Police's work to date to form a clear regeneration strategy that responds to local need.

The plans for a high-quality, mixed-use residential-led development scheme are likely to include:- new homes, a hotel, shops, leisure facilities and areas of open space, and will be shaped by continued engagement and technical assessment over the coming months.

Today's announcement follows a rigorous, transparent disposal process. The site was on the open market for 9 weeks and drew strong developer interest, with:- 13 bids received.

Homes England was chosen as the successful bidder following a detailed assessment of the bids based on a scoring matrix, which had 9 criteria, including:- the value of the tender, the quality of the design, social value, the experience and strength of the team delivering the development and environmental and sustainability considerations.

These criteria took into consideration the feedback from the public, businesses and stakeholders received during a consultation undertaken by the Police and Crime Commissioner before the site was put on the market, and the requirements provided by the planning team at Liverpool City Council.

The sale represents a collaborative effort between public sector organisations and will ensure a high quality, lasting legacy for the site, enabling the regeneration of brownfield land and the delivery of new homes to meet local need, alongside other complementary uses.

The money recouped from the sale of Canning Place represents best value and will be reinvested into modernising and updating Merseyside Police's stations and buildings as part of the Commissioner's 12 year Estate Strategy, which is to ensure officers and staff are in the right places and best equipped to serve communities across the Region.

Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said:- "Completing the sale of Canning Place is a hugely significant moment. The site was part of Merseyside Police's story for more than 40 years, but it was no longer suitable for a modern, forward looking Police service. This sale allows us to take the right steps to reinvest a substantial amount back into our policing estate; delivering on my commitment to provide fit for purpose stations and facilities that support our officers, PCSOs and staff to do their jobs effectively and put our communities 1st. Canning Place sits in 1 of the most important locations on Liverpool's iconic waterfront, and Homes England's involvement will bring fresh energy, new opportunities and a vibrant new neighbourhood. This marks the start of an exciting transformation for the site and the City."

Danielle Gillespie, Executive Regional Director (North West) at Homes England said:- "Canning Place is an exceptional site right at the heart of Liverpool's iconic waterfront, and we are pleased to complete this important acquisition. It is a great example of how, in line with the established Strategic Place Partnership between Homes England and Mayor Rotheram, the public sector can work together to unlock the redevelopment of public sector assets to boost housing and regeneration. We are pleased that the deal with the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner will enable further investment in their estate locally and we look forward to working with Liverpool City Council and key stakeholders as we bring this exciting project forward."

Canning Place, which 1st opened its doors in 1977 and acted as:- Merseyside Police's Headquarters for more than 40 years, is positioned in a prime location just a stone's throw from the City's famous waterfront, facing the Albert Dock, and next to Paradise Street bus station and the Liverpool 1 shopping and leisure complex and Liverpool's Creative Quarter, the Baltic Triangle.

The site includes:- the former 7 floor headquarters building which is more than 135,000 square feet, an annex, car park and gatehouse.

Merseyside Police's new headquarters, Rose Hill, just off Scotland Road, was officially opened in:- March 2022. Since then, Canning Place has been used to house various Police teams, while refurbishments to other stations took place. It was also used as a base for significant policing operations, including:- Eurovision, in May 2023.

The PCC appointed the consultancy firm Mace Consult Ltd and leading commercial property estate agents Colliers, supported by PLACED engagement specialists, to assist with the marketing and disposal of the site and to attract the broadest and highest calibre of potential developers.

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