• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Local Action Plan City of Liverpool April 2011 2 THE CITY OF LIVERPOOL LIVERPOOL HAS APPROXIMATELY 436,000 INHBITANTS, OF WHICH ABOUT 19,000 LIVE IN THE CITY CENTRE. LIVERPOOL WAS INSCRIBED ON TO UNESCO’S WORLD HERITAGE LIST IN 2004 AS THE SUPREME EXAMPLE OF A COMMERCIAL PORT OF THE 18TH, 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES. Liverpool is one of the two principal cities in the North West of England, along with Manchester which is ap- proximately 30 miles (48 km) to the east. It lies on the east bank of the River Mersey, almost where it meets the Irish Sea. It is a sub-regional centre for Merseyside and North Wales. The population of the City of Liv- erpool has declined from 855,500 in 1931 to about 436,000 in 2008. During that same period, the population of the Merseyside sub-region has also fallen, but by a much smaller percentage from 1,508,725 to 1,347,800. The municipal district of Liverpool measures approximately 112sq km. The historic urban area of the World Heritage Site covers 1.36 sq km and has a growing population of inhabitants which was 1,850. in 2008 when Liverpool was European Capital of Culture. Liverpool was founded by King John in 1207 but tury, a continuous line of docks had been built grew very slowly for the first 500 years and only along 11 kilometres of the east bank of the river, the medieval street plan survives above ground supported by a transport infrastructure and com- from that period. Liverpool’s rapid expansion be- mercial buildings, warehouses and cultural build- gan with the opening of its first enclosed dock (the ings in the city centre. world’s first commercial enclosed wet dock) in 1715. Liverpool’s oldest surviving building is the Despite damage caused in the mid-late 20th by former Bluecoat School and Hospital of 1718. war-time bombing, industrial obsolescence and some inappropriate redevelopment, the historic By the end of the 18th century, Liverpool had built port and city are well preserved and retain a high a further 5 docks but by the end of the 19th cen- degree of authenticity and integrity. They bear witness to Liverpool’s historic significance and The Albert Dock Warehouses: opened in were inscribed on to UNESCO’s World Heritage 1846 as a complete system of fireproof List in 2004. The assessor from ICOMOS said warehouses that Liverpool has the biggest and most complete The Albert Dock Traffic Office: a contem- 3 system of historic docks in the world. porary part of the Albert Dock system, with a huge cast iron portico Five conservation areas have been designated to The Royal Liver Building – opened in protect the port and city centre and a further 29 1911, the 2nd of the three principal build- conservation area have been designated else- ings at the Pier Head facing the river. The where in the city. Over 250 individual buildings in tallest building in England when built and the World Heritage Site have been identified as one of the first reinforced concrete being of special architectural or historic interest frames. and included on UK’s statutory list. A total of over Bluecoat Chambers, School Lane – 2,500 buildings throughout the city are listed build- Opened 1717/8 as a charity school and ings. hospital. The oldest surviving building in the city centre The most highly graded protected buildings in the Oriel Chambers – Opened in 1864 with an World Heritage Site are: innovative cast iron frame and a fully glazed curtain wall Liverpool Town Hall – originally designed Former Bank of England, Castle Street – 1749-54. An excellent example of a mid- Opened 1848. A monumental composition 18th century classical civic building of Greek and Roman Doric architecture. St George’s Hall – opened 1855, with the unusual combination of uses of courts For further information: and a concert hall. An exemplar of neo- www.liverpoolworldheritage.com classical architecture Oriel Chambers 1864 Albert Dock Traffic Office 1848 Local Challenges and Actions A Fractured Economy, Society and Urban Landscape 4 From the zenith of its trading powers in the early spirit of place. In short, the city recalled its past 20th century, Liverpool entered a long period of glory to inform and create a brighter future. economic decline as it entered the post industrial era. The level of industrial output in the hinterland From the depths of the 1980s, Liverpool has of the port declined dramatically during the 20th transformed its city centre, waterfront and image century, reducing the demand for the services of utilizing its cultural heritage in a complex and sus- the port. Liverpool suffered substantial war-time tained programme of initiatives, which are not yet destruction and saw massive changes and decline complete and so are still on-going. The Mersey- in its port activities. Its historic docks around the side Development Corporation (MDC) was estab- city centre were closed and subsequent social lished by the UK government in 1981 with the problems followed. mission to secure self-sustaining regeneration on Merseyside. It was given full statutory powers for It became a shrinking city as its population of Liv- large areas of former docks, and was given sub- erpool’s fell from 855,000 in 1930 to 435,000 in stantial funds to achieve its mission, in partnership 2008, as its residents migrated outwards in search with other public sector bodies and the private of better homes and jobs. sector.The MDC facilitated and partially funded the implementation of a wide range of regenera- Mass unemployment and poor conditions for tion projects, which utilised Liverpool’s cultural those remaining led to civil riots on the streets of maritime heritage, including: Liverpool in 1981. Some said that Liverpool’s his- • Creating a Business Park in transit sheds toric port was nothing more than a mausoleum, as • Creating a marina and the first of the people and national companies deserted the sink- new waterfront housing ing ship. Liverpool had become a city in crisis and • Building a Water Sports Centre in the docks in desperate need of urban regeneration. • Building the Customs and Excise (Tax) Building over a dock • Significantly, converting the monumental dockside warehouses at Wapping Dock and Waterloo Dock into up-market apartments • Delivering the flagship project of the re- generation and restoration of the Albert Dock. Despite some losses, much of Liverpool’s historic waterfront had survived. Although much of it was Albert Dock in poor condition due to under-use and under- After the closure of the MDC, Liverpool Vision was maintenance, the public authorities recognised established in 1999 as the Urban Regeneration that its unique cultural heritage and historic water- agency for the city centre. Liverpool City Council front sets it apart from other cities in England. has worked closely with Liverpool Vision and They took the decision in the 1980’s to use its other partners to deliver further regeneration pro- cultural heritage and especially that along the his- jects which have been guided by a Strategic Re- toric waterfront, as a basis for the city’s urban re- generation Framework, including: generation, using protective legislation, acquisition • A new Cruise Liner Facility where necessary, and persuasion, as well as ur- • A new canal link • A revitalised Pier Head ban planning, to enhance and celebrate its unique • A new ferry terminal • A new arena and conference centre • New commercial office space • A new retail-led development which links the city centre to the water-front 5 The conservation of Liverpool’s cultural heritage is therefore set in the context of long-term strategies and actions to deliver urban regeneration, through partnership working and maximisation of public funding. Revitalised Pier Head The Arena, Conference Centre and Anglican Cathedral Liverpool’s waterfront LOCAL ACTION PLAN - LIVERPOOL 6 IN THE HERO NETWORK, THE LOCAL ACTION PLAN (LAP) IS DEFINED AS A CONCEPT PAPER THAT DESCRIBES HOW THE PARTNER CITY PLANS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT AN INTEGRATED CULTURAL HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN (CHIMP) FOR THEIR HISTORIC AREA. FOR LIVERPOOL, THE HISTORIC AREA TO WHICH THE LAP RELATES IS, IN MOST CASES, THE LIVERPOOL WORLD HERITAGE SITE AND ITS BUFFER ZONE. HOWEVER, MANY POLICIES AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR THE PROPER MANAGEMENT OF LIVERPOOL’S CULTURAL HERITAGE ARE APPLICABLE ACROSS THE CITY, BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE WHS. WORK PLAN FOR THE The Liverpool WHS Management Plan is available DEVELOPMENT AND at http://www.liverpoolworldheritage.com/managingthe IMPLEMENTATION OF AN whs/management/managementplan/index.asp INTEGRATED CULTURAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR Liverpool’s experiences in producing the Manage- LIVERPOOL WORLD HERITAGE ment Plan were used for reference during the HerO SITE (CHIMP) Project. However, it was stated in the Management Plan that it would need to be reviewed and updated after 6 years and so the principal intention of Liver- Name of the Organisation and Country pool in joining the HerO Project was to undertake Planning Service, Regeneration Portfolio, Liverpool that review. City Council. United Kingdom Whilst some steps have been undertaken towards Background to the Liverpool the review of the Liverpool WHS Management Plan, the process has not been completed during the World Heritage Site (WHS) Man- HerO Project. The priority for utilisation of the limited agement Plan resources available for the management of the Liverpool’s inscription onto UNESCO’s World Heri- WHS, have been concentrated on implementing the tage List in 2004 was pre-dated by the production of existing Management Plan and developing other a Management Plan (approved December 2003) for sustainable management strategies. notably: the nominated WHS. The Liverpool WHS Manage- ment Plan provided a consensual framework for the conservation and management of the outstanding universal value of the World Heritage Site.

Load more

  28

Copy Link