Pier Head Area

[Max]

LIVERPOOL’S world-famous Pier Head, centrepiece of the city’s World Heritage Site, is to be closed to the public for more than 15 months.

So much work is to be carried out, officials decided to turn it into a huge building site until the spring of 2008.

The riverfront, with its famous Three Graces, is one of the most photographed in the country, but is currently being surrounded by a seven-foot high fence.

It will mean that within days the Pier Head riverfront will be out of bounds to the public for the rest of Liverpool’s 800th birthday year, and until well into 2008 when the city celebrates being European Capital of Culture.Last night, Liverpool Labour leader Cllr Joe Anderson said: “This couldn’t happen at a worse time when we are parading ourselves on the world stage.

“We are into two of the most important years ever for the city, and we slam shut what is our front door. I know the work has to be done, but to do it now is a disaster. I blame inertia within the council and the fight between (former leader and chief executive) Mike Storey and Sir David Henshaw.

“It is as though somebody pressed a pause button on the city’s progress and now we are paying a heavy price for all of that squabbling and the bickering. Officials saying it will transform the city in the coming years does not cut any ice with me.

“ Even in 1207 AD, they would have known that in 2007 we would be 800 years old. It is not as though this has crept up on us.”

Ann Meek, tour manager with Maghull Coaches, who operate an open-top tourist bus service round Liverpool’s attractions said: “This will be such a shame. The Pier Head is the most popular stop along the route. People who are not interested in The Beatles or football will have seen pictures of the Pier Head. It is internationally recognised and a business stopping point for people wanting to take their own pictures. We will have to work our way around this.”

British Waterways will be constructing a canal link across the Pier Head, but there will also be extensive public realm work and the construction of a new marshalling area for cars waiting for the Isle of Man ferries. continues.....

Looks like a job for Snappel and his boys to keep carrying on the photo reputation the Pier Head has.

[snappel]

Might be possible to get some good shots from the top of one of the Three Graces. Aside from that, I'm sure photos will emerge somehow I did try and have a better look at that exposed tunnel (which was an old brick-lined storm overflow drain) but when I got down to it, it had been capped with about 2 tons of concrete!!

[AK1]

New face of the Mersey riverfront

City Editor Larry Neild looks at the plans for remodelling Liverpool’s historic Pier Head and Mersey ferries terminal

MERSEY Ferry officials last night presented the plans to the city council that spell out the future for the service in a multi-million pound scheme that will change Liverpool Pier Head.

It comes just 48 hours after the Daily Post revealed that the world-famous waterfront is to be closed to the public until at least the spring of 2008.

Workmen have almost finished the task of erecting hoardings around the waterfront space to enable a new canal link and other works to go ahead.

The Mersey Ferry operation will continue during the work, officials at Merseytravel promised last night.

The transport executive has submitted three separate plans to Liverpool City Council’s planning department.


One is for the demolition of the existing 1960s terminal, with its familiar tented roof, while a second is for a three-storey ferry terminal building on the same site.


The third application seeks permission to erect a modular booking office close to the riverfront as a temporary office while the new terminal is being built.


Currently the river ferries are sharing the Isle of Man landing stage following the sinking in a storm last year of the old berth.


Within weeks it is hoped that contractors will move in to remove the sunken stage so that a replacement ferry stage can be moved into place.


All of the grassed area at the Pier Head is being cordoned off to enable a number of simultaneous projects to take place.


It will mean the waterfront being virtually shut down for all of Liverpool’s 800th birthday year, as well as for at least the first three months of Capital of Culture year.


The new terminal plans have already been criticised by heritage campaigners who say a modern structure will ruin the view of the Three Graces from the river. The adjoining Shanghai Palace Chinese restaurant is earmarked for demolition once it closes down on February 17.


Wayne Colquhoun, of the Liverpool Preservation Trust, has already alerted the World Heritage Sites headquarters in Paris about the proposals for the new ferry terminal, saying the proposed three-storey structure will harm the city’s status as a world heritage site.


A spokesman for Merseytravel said last night: “We have submitted our planning application and we await a decision from the planning committee. The start date for the project will depend on when a decision is reached by the committee.”

[AK1]

I really don't understand how people can call this project damaging to our waterfront. What's damaging is the hideous 1960's lump of concrete that is sitting there now. The new terminal will only be 3 storeys high and will be made from similair materials to the graces.

[Max]

Might be possible to get some good shots from the top of one of the Three Graces. Aside from that, I'm sure photos will emerge somehow I did try and have a better look at that exposed tunnel (which was an old brick-lined storm overflow drain) but when I got down to it, it had been capped with about 2 tons of concrete!!

His Ninja eye Is working on already!

[Paul D]

There will be a new publicly accessible sunken piazza to provide a parade of restaurants, cafes and shops on the riverside frontage of the building – attracting many newcomers to the waterfront.

There will also be an underground car park to replace the ground level parking area in front of the building.

It's going to come alive when all of the new developments are completed.
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/l...name_page.html

This sounds mad
One proposal is to fit a “walk of death” glass floor just beneath the dome to give visitors an uninterrupted view of the interior of the building, which celebrates its 100th birthday this year.

This will be a brilliant place to view the city from.
Equipping the enormous dome with a new glass floor and converting it into a public viewing gallery will allow people to experience stunning views across the city’s World Heritage Waterfront – from a vantage point never previously available.

[PhilipG]

I was there yesterday, and the blue metal fences (probably only temporary) are low enough to point a camera over.

Why can't they put "windows" in the fences, so the public can see the progress?
It's not as if we don't know what they're doing!

[Kev]

10th Feb 2007 - Canal Link (scroll across)

[Paul D]

I can't wait until it's all finished,all of this digging is doing me head in,tar Kev.

I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end.

[Kev]

I can't wait until it's all finished,all of this digging is doing me head in,tar Kev.

I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end.

I feel it will Paul, despite the sadness of all the construction etc.... I felt a buzz of excitement down there yesterday as I viewed the uncovered Manchester Dock and looked at the canal work. The place will be alive in a few years time.

[The Teardrop Explodes]

...and I'll bet that 80/90% on here, and elsewhere, would love to see the Manchester and Chester remain excavated, restored and somehow worked into the scheme?

I know it's probably impossible to revise all the plans at this stage, and I'm genuinely excited by the proposals (as far as they go) but it just seems a real shame to needlessly lose chunks of our history..again

[Kev]

Read the info on here:

[The Teardrop Explodes]

...aye, I knew all that, the fact that we'll recover the trinkets etc and display them.
I'm talking more about the tempoarily excavated docks themselves and how they weren't factored into being a permanent, restored part of the new Mann Island plan.

I suppose I'm just repeating Waterworks original post but I have to say I think he was right.

[Kev]

These docks should have a thick glass floor above so they can be viewed from above or be accessible similar to the old castle ruins in Paris.

[Max]

10th Feb 2007 - Canal Link (scroll across)

Since when have you become another Snappel?