Developments fund citywide improvements

Millions of pounds worth of improvements to Liverpool’s highways, open spaces and play areas are being funded through developments in the city.

The funding is provided through planning agreements, commonly called Section 106 funding which can be sought from developers who can’t provide open space or environmental improvements as part of their scheme.

The funding can be used to provide public open space/public realm works; tree planting; public art or highways works on nearby sites.

The city council has reviewed the way it allocates the funding so that there will be greater clarity on the way the funding is allocated with councillors and communities identifying local priorities.

A new sub-committee has been formed and held its first meetings to allocate funding. About £3.4m has been allocated for 17 schemes ranging from £1.4m to improve play areas across the city in the Mayoral play programme to £7,529 for an artwork commemorating Eleanor Rathbone in a walled garden at Greenbank Park.

Other schemes which have had section 106 fund allocated are:

• Contribution to Great Howard Street bridge replacement – £1,000,000.
• Public realm improvements in Elliot Street/Parker Street (image above)- £500,000.
• Improvements to Newsham Park lake and bandstand – £98,000.
• St John’s Gardens infrastructure improvements – £40,000.
• Pedestrian improvements in part of Queens Drive – £50,000.
• Supporting heritage improvements at St Luke’s Church– £50,000.
• The creation of a contemplative space at Our Lady’s and St Nicholas to support a new MV Derbyshire memorial.
• A new footpath linking “old”  Croxteth and Croxteth Country Park – £9,750.
• Three schemes at Jeffrey Humble playing field – a new synthetic cricket wicket ( £50,000); installation of play features (£20,000) and enhancement of perimeter fencing ( £30,000).
• Improvements to green spaces and grot spots in Sparrow Hall (£70,000) where there will also be traffic calming measures (£7,000).
• Scargreen Park will have new fitness equipment, footpath improvements, bulb plating and welcome signs – £20,000.
• Landford Avenue green space will be improved – £10,000.
• Pupils from Notre Dame School will be engaged in  heritage work at the Anchor Project to renovate land at Great Homer Street  and Kirkdale Road –  £24,000.

It has also been agreed that a scheme to complete the dualling of the A565  and  a  package of eight schemes to improve connectivity for pedestrians ,cyclists and public transport across the city will also receive section 106 contributions but the amounts are still to be determined.

Among the developments which will provide the funding are housing schemes at the former Queen Mary school site, and the former police club in Prescot Road; a scheme for luxury apartments at Marwood Towers, and student accommodation schemes at Oldham Street and Great Crosshall Street and Fontenoy Street.

Deputy Mayor Councillor Ann O’Byrne, who chaired the new sub-committee said: ” We are reaping the benefits of developers not only investing in the city but paying for significant environmental and other improvements.

“We have now established a process which is open and transparent and will reflect the priorities of our communities and the city is going to have improved green spaces and infrastructure along with new public artworks as a result as a result”

Liverpool Waterfront