UK£ 4.5 billion Wirral Waters wins planning permission

Liverpool's Wirral Planning Committee has given outline planning permission for the UK's largest planning application, the UK£ 4.5 billion (€ 5.5 billion) Wirral Waters project, following four years of master planning and public consultation.

The application for the 1.7 million m2 project was originally submitted by developer Peel Holdings in December 2009.

The project won the unanimous backing of Wirral Council's planning committee, with all four local Members of Parliament (MPs) and Liverpool Council giving their support.

Architects Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), Glenn Howells, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris and HKR, will each design a quarter of the city-sized project.

Overall design management is by consulting engineer Martin Stockley Associates.

Peel Holdings said the project is expected to create over20000 new jobs and 14000 new homes in and around Liverpool's derelict Birkenhead docks, delivered over a 30-year period.

The project will also contain 400000 m2 of offices, 60000 m2 of retail space, 38000 m2 of hotel and conference facilities and 100000 m2 of culture, education, community and leisure space.

Wirral Waters is one half of Peel Waters. The other half, the UK £5.5 billion (€ 6.6 billion), 61 ha Liverpool Waters scheme on the other side of the Mersey River, is also being developed by Peel Holdings.

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