Liverpool City Council (LCC) and Montagu Evans have announced that the search for a new development partner for the Festival Gardens scheme is progressing and a shortlist of candidates will be confirmed in Spring of this year. A number of high-calibre parties have been engaged in dialogue with the council since the launch of the scheme in October 2024 and are expected to return soon with Outline Solutions. The invitation to shortlisted parties will be issued in March and the selection of a preferred bidder will take place in September.
£53m has been previously invested into the prime waterfront site and the surrounding area to de-risk and accelerate delivery on this remediated brownfield land. VINCI, which completed the remediation and infrastructure installation, created Liverpool’s first public park of the century. However, previous development partner ION Property Development’s exclusivity has expired. A mutually agreeable settlement has been agreed upon with the Council. The decision to undertake a new procurement process was not due to ION’s ability to deliver but was driven by the constraints of the land sale method that both parties had agreed upon in good faith.
Part of a wider 36 ha site, Festival Gardens Development Zone extends to 11 ha (27 acres) and is five km away from Liverpool city centre. With a landmark waterfront location, it benefits from outstanding green and blue infrastructure, notably Festival Gardens parkland, which includes formal Chinese and Japanese gardens. Additionally, the development is located adjacent to the River Mersey.
The Development Zone aims to become a sustainable, thriving, healthy, and inclusive neighbourhood with a strong sense of community and identity. Innovative design and building techniques will be used to develop the area, meeting the local housing needs. Development will be centred on phased, residential-led plans and multigenerational living with a range of housing types and tenures. The development plan also maximises inclusive delivery by including over 20% affordable housing.
Montagu Evans has been leading the development partner procurement process for the Council as a part of a multi-disciplinary team comprised of Mace, a global programme, and project delivery consultant and construction expert, architecture and urban design group, Metropolitan Workshop and architectural practice Shedkm. The project has the backing of Homes England and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Councillor Nick Small, Liverpool Council’s Cabinet member for Economy and Growth, believes that the Festival Gardens Development Zone is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The shortlisting of candidates this Spring will be a significant step in making this in-demand community a reality. The Council would like to thank ION for their work on this scheme and wishes them well in their future endeavours
Read the full article on Liverpool Express here: Read More