City region welcomes Enterprise Zone
LIVERPOOL City Region is welcoming news that the government has chosen “Mersey Waters” as an Enterprise Zone.
The Mersey Waters Enterprise Zone will straddle both sides of the River Mersey and cover the area of two major regeneration projects focused on either side - Wirral Waters and Liverpool Waters. They are being developed by The Peel Group under the brand name Peel Waters.
Wirral Waters is centred on the left bank of the river at the Birkenhead Docks and Liverpool Waters is focused towards the north of Liverpool city centre into the derelict dock areas adjacent to Princes Dock.
Liverpool City Region Cabinet Chair and member of the shadow LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) Board, Councillor Joe Anderson, said: “I am pleased that we have been chosen as one of the first Enterprise zones.
“We are keen to work with government to make sure the benefits are shared across the whole of the city region, and help attract much needed investment and jobs to the entire area.
“I am pleased that we have been able to respond extremely quickly to this emerging initiative. It places us in an extremely good position to influence government policy around this scheme.
“The City Region has big ambitions and a clear strategy to grow the economy and increase private sector jobs and investment which have clearly caught the attention of the government. Just last week Business Minister Mark Prisk told me how impressed he is by what we have to offer.
“I do not believe that any other area of the country has the quality of development opportunities that we have. We are absolutely committed to doing all we can to work with government to achieve our ambitions.”
Rod Holmes, Chair of The Mersey Partnership (TMP) and member of the LEP Board, added: “It is now generally recognised, in the Liverpool City Region and beyond that the Mersey and Liverpool Port are grossly underutilised UK assets, with the potential to help resolve national infrastructure issues and also to contribute to the ongoing revival of the City Region economy.
“Land on both sides of the mouth of the Estuary is available, with ownership and planning in hand for comprehensive redevelopment. The designation of this Enterprise Zone will accelerate delivery of these developments and make a great contribution to the Liverpool Superport and wider economic growth in the North.”
Lindsey Ashworth from Peel said: “These projects essentially take advantage of the areas two best assets – its river and its people.
“The Peel Waters projects are opportunities for the Liverpool Region to compete better with the likes of London and the South East as well as cities overseas. Enterprise Zone status will genuinely help us to do that.”
ABOUT LIVERPOOL CITY REGION AND THE CITY REGION LEP
Liverpool City Region covers the boroughs of Halton, Sefton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helen’s and Wirral – an area with a population of 1.5 million and 49,000 businesses.
The LEP commits to establishing the region as a top international and national investment location based upon global trade, science based innovation, manufacturing and tourism. Its board members include Liverpool born Sir Terry Leahy, former Chief Executive of Tesco.
ABOUT LIVERPOOL WATERS AND WIRRAL WATERS (PEEL WATERS)
At 17 million sq ft, Wirral Waters is the largest regeneration project in the UK and over the next 30 – 40 years will transform the derelict docks in Birkenhead and Wallasey into a world class waterfront. The project now has planning permission following a unanimously positive local authority decision in August 2010 and Government Office’s decision not to call it in for public inquiry in November 2010.
The Liverpool Waters vision involves regenerating a 60 hectare historic dockland site to create a world-class, high-quality, mixed use waterfront. It totals 14 million sq ft and includes mixed use development of residential, visitor attractions and supporting uses, office/commercial and local shops and services. Liverpool Waters planning application was lodged in 2010 and is currently with Liverpool City Council for determination.
More information is available at www.peelwaters.co.uk
For further information about Liverpool Waters and Wirral Waters, please contact Naomi Peck at The Peel Group on 07918 748605 or email npeck@peel.co.uk
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