Liverpool City Council has begun consultation on an updated Local Plan that will guide and influence development and economic growth until 2041 – providing certainty for developers, investors, businesses and residents.
The council has also issued a further call for sites that could be used for development.
Influenced by engagement with residents and stakeholders which took place last autumn, the plan sets out aspirations for growth including plans to deliver around 30,000 new homes, whilst also focusing on the delivery of sustainable and inclusive growth in areas of need including Liverpool North and the fringes of the city centre.
It seeks to ensure that growth in Liverpool has the most positive impact on the city’s communities, and ensures a comprehensive and cohesive approach with a diverse range of development opportunities.
It outlines a vision of Liverpool as a “sustainable, vibrant, distinctive and inclusive global city at the heart of the City Region, with fairness and inclusivity at the heart of the City’s growth”, with “sustainable, inclusive and high-quality homes to meet people’s needs and aspirations”.
The new plan adopts a ‘brownfield land first’ approach, and views are sought on 138 sites allocated for housing, employment and mixed use.
The plan sets a framework for the protection and enhancement of the city’s green infrastructure including strategic and locally important parks and open spaces as well as heritage and non-designated heritage assets including listed buildings, conservation areas, registered historic parks and gardens, scheduled monuments and archaeological remains.
The aims are for Liverpool to be a place where:
- People feel safe, secure and happy in their neighbourhoods and homes, through the delivery of new high-quality neighbourhoods which diversify the housing offer and meet the housing needs of our communities.
- All residents are supported to live healthy lives and are protected from a changing climate, with development delivering excellence in environmental sustainability.
- There is a prosperous and inclusive economy, which is built around an exciting, creative and innovative city and capitalises on the city’s strengths, including knowledge and creative industries.
- Accessibility and connectivity have been greatly enhanced across the city with a strong focus on active travel and sustainable modes, thus reducing impacts of the car.
- Enhanced social, environmental and physical infrastructure is being delivered that supports the city’s growth ambitions.
- All development contributes to ‘good growth’ which is socially and economically inclusive and environmentally sustainable, in order to maximise benefits for our residents.
- Heritage and green infrastructure assets will have been conserved and enhanced, made more accessible for future generations, and their role in the city’s regeneration and growth strengthened in recognition of their importance to Liverpool’s character and identity.
- New development will have taken place in a manner that mitigates against and adapts to the causes and impacts of climate change. It will have taken account of flood risk, be energy efficient and of high design quality.
Key themes in the document include:
Regeneration
The policies and site allocations support a vision for the northern fringes of the city centre comprising North Docks, Ten Streets, Pumpfields and Limekilns, and Pall Mall/Moorfields to have undergone transformational change with high-quality, sustainable, inclusive new homes and associated social, environmental and physical infrastructure, creating stable, mixed, vibrant and sustainable communities.
It also sets out that:
- Liverpool city centre will continue to be a thriving and growing regional centre for commercial and retail investment, cultural, tourist, art, civic, and leisure facilities.
- Liverpool Central Station will be a vibrant, sustainable and mixed use city centre neighbourhood with a world class transport hub at its heart.
- Significant employment opportunities will be delivered in Paddington Village.
- A mix of uses will be supported within the Knowledge Quarter to create a world-class place of innovation and discovery in science, technology, education, medicine and culture.
- Liverpool North will have seen significant transformation and will have become a high-quality inclusive, sustainable, regenerated, and re-connected neighbourhood that has prioritised residents’ needs and aspirations, with Liverpool and Everton Football clubs acting as a catalyst for inclusive sustainable growth.
- Liverpool’s iconic waterfront, from the Everton Stadium to the former Garden Festival site will be a vibrant and thriving people-first place, with activated water spaces, enhanced public spaces, green infrastructure and connectivity north/ south and east/ west.
And that:
- Peripheral housing estates will have a balance of housing types and tenures to meet the needs of all residents.
- Opportunities for economic growth at Speke/Garston will have been maximised.
- Elsewhere in Liverpool’s suburbs, popular, attractive neighbourhoods and vibrant districts and local centres will continue to be successful. Important environmental and open space assets will have been protected and enhanced.
Have your say
The council is inviting comments on the new plan. Please visit https://liverpool.gov.uk/council/consultation-and-engagement/consultation/consultation-on-a-new-local-plan-for-liverpool/. The closing date is 9 November.
What happens next?
Comments received will inform the next version of the plan – known as the Publication Plan. Consultation on this will be held in summer 2026.
If the Publication Plan is approved by the council, it will be submitted to the Government for independent examination.
The council will be updating its Local Development Scheme, which is the timetable for preparation of the Local Plan, in due course.
Councillor Nick Small, Cabinet Member for Growth and Economy, said: “During the public engagement last year, people told us about the need for accessible, affordable and diverse housing with more choice and with greater attention needed for community-building in new housing developments.
“Many people told us that this needed to be accompanied by improved public transport, active travel infrastructure, and climate resilient design.
“They called for economic diversification, support for local businesses, revitalisation of retail areas ensuring these are supported by better public spaces, and the integration of heritage and sustainability into future developments.
“A key theme was the need to regenerate the most deprived areas, to reduce social and economic inequalities, redistribute prosperity and opportunity and to provide better physical and mental health benefits for every citizen.
“This draft Local Plan will also help to deliver the inclusive, sustainable growth we need and provides a key opportunity to provide a strong and robust planning framework to deliver our ambitions for Liverpool’s sustainable growth and regeneration.
“This is our opportunity to work together to create a fairer, healthier and more sustainable Liverpool, where investment and development drives inclusive growth that benefits everyone and all communities, where we protect our natural assets and create opportunities for future generations to achieve their full potential and enjoy everything that our city has to offer.”
