Liverpool City Council (LCC), advised by Montagu Evans, has today launched the search for a new development partner to transform the iconic Festival Gardens site in Liverpool following Cabinet go ahead on 10 September.
Part of a wider 36 ha site, Festival Gardens’ Development Zone extends to 11 ha (27 acres), 5 km from Liverpool City Centre. It occupies an iconic waterfront location, benefitting from outstanding green and blue infrastructure with the Festival Gardens parkland, including formal Chinese and Japanese gardens, and River Mersey immediately adjacent.
It now offers a new opportunity to create a thriving, sustainable, healthy and inclusive neighbourhood with a strong identity and sense of community, developed using innovative design and building techniques to meet local housing needs. The development will be centred on phased, residential-led plans and multigenerational living with a range of housing types and tenures, maximising delivery and including more than 20% affordable housing.
Leader of Liverpool City Council, Councillor Liam Robinson, said: “This is a major milestone moment in the evolution of the Festival Gardens site.
“The appointment of a development partner will see the completion of the International Garden Festival initiative and marks the final chapter in a 40-year story of a site which originally covered 250 acres. It will also ensure that the UK’s only remaining Festival Gardens are preserved and enhanced for future generations to enjoy.
“We know how well-loved this area is and want to make sure that we are doing as much as we can to ensure this prime waterfront land has the potential to be a flagship development that sets the standard for sustainable housing in the UK.
“It’s an incredibly exciting time and is the next step in making this in-demand, thriving community a reality.”
Montagu Evans is leading on the procurement for LCC as part of a multi-disciplinary team comprised of global programme and project delivery consultant and construction expert Mace, architecture and urban design group Metropolitan Workshop and architectural practice Shedkm.
Montagu Evans Partner, Oliver Maury, said: “The aim now is to create an exemplary residential-led neighbourhood that will bring people together, encourage social interaction and foster a sense of community.
“LCC’s new development partner should offer a viable and deliverable scheme, driven by best practice; creativity and innovation in design, place-making and sustainability; and delivering a robust response to climate change. It is an exciting opportunity on a well-connected landmark site, and we are looking forward to the range of approaches that are set to come forward.”
Parties are invited to submit a standard Selection Questionnaire (‘SQ’) by noon on 4 November 2024 via this portal. The portal also includes key documentation, including technical information and a summary of the commercial terms.
More information, including a Development Brief, is also available here: www.investliverpool.com/festival-gardens/. The selection of a preferred bidder is anticipated for September 2025.
£53m has already been invested into the site and surrounding area to de-risk and accelerate delivery on this remediated brownfield land.
