VISIONARY plans for the biggest ever regeneration project in Liverpool’s Chinatown, the oldest in Europe, were given the go-ahead today by the city council’s planning committee.

The £200m scheme will see a Chinese market and food court, 850 townhouses and apartments as well as a hotel, restaurants and commercial space, surrounded by landscaped gardens.

Developers North Point Global are now pledging to start work early in the New Year with completion of phase 1 scheduled by mid 2017.

The scheme will transform a large area of derelict land and grassland at the heart of Liverpool Chinatown which traces its roots back to the late 1800s.

The site spans almost two hectares, with city planners saying in a report the development is intended as an expansion of Chinatown. It will also create a diverse and high-quality city centre living and working community and will provide a unique Chinese retail core leisure destination in the form of a ‘Chinese themed Bazaar’ situated within a sunken street.

A dragon design features a folded façade design of one of the buildings in the first phase, influenced by Chinese paper folding ‘Zhen Zhi’, and represents scales of the dragon.

 


The decision by the city council’s planning committee comes less than six months after the selection of North Point Global as preferred developers for the key site by Liverpool City Council.

The New Chinatown project has been identified by the Government as one of the key projects within the Northern Powerhouse initiative. Details of the scheme were presented recently to Chinese Premier Xi’s delegation during his visit to Manchester. The scheme is fully funded and is being backed by both North Point’s established Chinese investment partners and UKTI, Britain’s official regeneration investment organisation.

Lead architect Antonio Garcia, of BLOK Architecture, said: “The development aims to create an entirely new kind of Chinatown that captures the energy and intensity of modern China, and creates a hub for Chinese businesses and retailers keen for a foothold in the UK.

“From the beginning we have had a vision for an essentially Chinese development that will breathe new life and vibrancy into an historic but recently declining area. The Chinese theme has informed our design philosophy, the mix of uses and in particular the new retail and commercial core will become a major new destination within the city.”

Peter McInnes chairman of North Point Global said: “This is potentially one of the most exciting and original developments being delivered in the UK today.. New Chinatown will be creating a city within a city, creating a destination of international scale and appeal.”