The £800m Mersey Mile!

MORE than £800m is being spent on a one-mile stretch of Liverpool’s waterfront.

The investment, which could hit the £1bn mark, is being made on 20 separate projects either under construction, set to start this year, or have been given the green light by councillors.

They include the Liverpool ECHO arena, the new Museum of Liverpool Life and the canal link through the Pier Head, which will allow barges into the Albert Dock for the first time.

All the schemes are earmarked for sites along just a single mile of land between Princes Dock in the north and Kings Dock in the south.

City officials believe the regeneration of locations along the Mersey will create up to 3,000 jobs over the next five years. And they estimate future developments around the arena and Princes Dock could push the overall investment above £1bn within three years.

The figures were compiled by Liverpool Vision, which is in charge of overseeing the regeneration of the city centre.

They give a taster of how the city’s famous skyline is likely to change, with tall and distinctive buildings joining the famous Three Graces.

Jim Gill, chairman of Liverpool Vision, said: “In some people’s minds, there are thoughts about what it does to the approaches to the Liver buildings, particularly from the north and along the river.

“I believe that northern cluster can add something distinct without detracting from the Liver building and the cluster on the Pier Head, or the skyline further back, including the cathedrals.”

Going from north to south, the latest spotlight on the waterfront shows work at:

Princes Dock, where new office and apartment blocks are being built.

The Leeds-Liverpool canal link at the Pier Head, in front of the Three Graces.

The new Museum of Liverpool Life and black granite apartments and offices at Mann Island.

The Liverpool ECHO arena, with two new hotels behind it and an empty site for apartments to its south side.

The Liverpool One shopping district.

nick.coligan@liverpool.com