Todays the big day.......................
You buying the drinks to celebrate it.
Gididi Gididi Goo.
Yes it was approved with only one objection! Another chap put his name down for objection but after the presentation he changed his mind which says a great deal about the so far unpublicised details on the scheme.
Its great news for everyone. The end of an extremely long and difficult application.
It has always baffled me why this scheme was so difficult to bring to the city. It's wider implications for employment and regeneration are as significant as any in Liverpool for many years. The principle of revitalisation, using world class architects in Woods Bagot, and the even more famous Landscape practice Martha Schwartz is a fantastic asset to Liverpool's portfolio. The landscape scheme is safe and it will be a landmark and icon for the city centres night life, retail and leisure industries.
I am so incredibly happy for Liverpool that this scheme has finally reached this conclusion.
It's true that a sacrifice was made on the tower, but the tower was not the most significant part of the project. As a whole this development is massive! It will be built in phases, but when its complete Liverpool will be buzzing all the way from the docks right to end of Bold Street. I'm really happy, and its great news.
Now for the hard part.
just checking you lot out
It's gonna be as soon as the legal stuff is tied up I guess. Building regs need drawing up, issues with network rail resolving, assurances to Lewis's and possibly Rapid.... I don't know how much more other stuff. I reckon it should have started by the end of the year, next springtime.... just a guess. There'll be some pr out soon, I think the BBC are looking for stuff to put out, but its best to keep an eye on things like Estates Gazette and local press to be honest. The BBC will probably interpret it as some commie camp site going on past performance...
just checking you lot out
WASTELAND by Liverpool's Central Station will be transformed into a £160m shopping, residential and leisure development after city planners passed the contentious Central Village scheme yesterday. more
Wahey, a tower of shopping and Leisure.
Gididi Gididi Goo.
A GLEAMING cluster of glass towers behind Liverpool's Central station will let "the 18th century meet the 21st century", a developer has claimed.
Councillors were told yesterday that the £160m Central Village complex will bring a long-forgotten section of the old Victorian rail interchange back to life.
They backed a long-awaited plan to build two towers, a hotel and two apartment blocks on the derelict site, currently hidden behind shops on Bold Street and Renshaw Street.
And they praised a futuristic shallow waterfall, culminating in a "wall of 1,000 pipes", which will run through a public square.
Lady Doreen Jones, planning committee chairman, said: "I have been on numerous visits to this site over the years, and I think this scheme is superb.
"The water feature is really exciting, and I much prefer it to the fountain in Williamson Square. "At last, something will be done to this site and I look forward to it being completed."
Developers Merepark and Ballymore drafted in Chicago-based architect Stephan Reinke to design Central Village.
He told the committee:
"This is an opportunity for old to meet new, for the 18th century to meet the 21st century.
"Liverpool is full of rich history and we should draw from those clues.
"At the moment, Church Street ends with nothing. This is a chance for a landmark building that tells people this is the end of their journey."
The two 25 and 20-storey towers, nicknamed "Tracy and Hepburn" after Hollywood legends Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, will house offices, shops and apartments.
A staircase will link Central Village to the station, which will be given a facelift to update its ageing facilities.
The scheme had previously proposed a 38-floor skyscraper, which was scrapped amid fears it would overshadow the nearby historic Rope Walks district.
As a result, it has now won crucial support from English Heritage, which was unhappy with the original idea.
At yesterday's meeting, the plan was opposed by local historian Florence Gersten, from the Save Our City campaign.
She said: "It is a great pity the development of this site has been left to the era of high-rise monoliths.
"The resulting effect on the city's skyline will not go away during our lifetimes or those of generations to come."
Work should start on the two towers and hotel in early 2007, with the entire complex completed over four years.
nick.coligan@liverpool.com
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