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Background
Grosvenor was selected by Liverpool City Council (LCC) as developer for the Paradise Street Development Area (PSDA) project in March 2000
It was agreed that the Council and Grosvenor would co-operate in joint “workshops” under the direction of a joint “steering committee” with a view to agreeing development principles, the extent of the development area and a “masterplan” by the end of 2000; and with a view to submitting a planning application and agreeing heads of terms for a development agreement. In parallel, LCC would establish the planning framework and issue a development brief.
The following fundamental development principles were agreed:
- New retail space will be concentrated in the Principal Development Area between Bluecoat Chambers and South John Street.
- The new retail space will be connected as strongly and seamlessly as possible to the existing Main Retail Area, creating sustainable circuits of virtually continuous retail frontages.
- Anchor stores, car parking and public transport facilities will be positioned to generate and distribute footfall evenly past new and existing frontages; and to complement existing facilities, with regard to the effective performance and convenience of the City Centre as a whole.
- The development will include space for complementary specialist and start-up shops and for other uses including catering, entertainment, workspace and housing.
- Effective “links” will be established – to the Central Business District, the Waterfront and Rope Walks Area.
It was also agreed that the existing street pattern, buildings of historic or architectural interest and existing public open space will be retained as far as practicable, that existing views of landmark buildings and adjacent areas will be retained and new views and walkways opened up where possible.
It was agreed that Grosvenor would work with the Highway Authority and Merseytravel to achieve:-
- pedestrian priority throughout the development area;
- the elimination of all through traffic;
- servicing areas with direct access from the surrounding highway network or in pedestrianised areas during very restricted hours;
- convenient bus and taxi access around the enlarged retail area, but no routes through the proposed shopping area; and the relocation of the bus station and related bus layover area to achieve this objective.
In accordance with LCC’s Outline Development Brief and Urban Design Study, it was agreed that this will be an “open streets” development, rather than a “shopping mall”.
The following additional principles were articulated during the workshops:
- the principle of “buildings-in-the-city”, rather than an enclosed or segregated area;
- the principle of distinct areas, or “quarters”, responding to the physical characteristics of the site and surrounding areas, in order to provide a broad range of shopping, free time and residential environments and variety in the character of streets and open spaces.
It was agreed that different architects would be commissioned for individual buildings, or groups of buildings and open spaces, with a view to giving each part of the development “attention to detail” and to achieving variety and “richness” in the developed area; and to re-establishing Liverpool as a city of architectural excellence and innovation.
DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT
On the 19 December, the Council and Grosvenor also signed a lengthy Development Agreement.
That Agreement formally binds the Council and Grosvenor to do what is necessary to assemble ownership of most of the Paradise Street Development Area and also to reach agreement with Anchor Store operators for the proposed development.
When those objectives are achieved, the Council will be able to allow Grosvenor to occupy the PSDA and Grosvenor will have to deliver the comprehensive redevelopment of the entire 42 acre site.
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