PLANS for the regeneration of Liverpool’s iconic Festival Gardens site have taken a major step forward with the selection of a development partner.

Liverpool City Council has chosen a joint venture company, led by Urban Splash and igloo Regeneration, following a procurement process launched last Autumn.

The 2 award-winning companies have come together in a unique partnership to collaborate on creating an innovative and sustainable housing scheme on the landmark riverside site.

Founded in Liverpool in 1993, Urban Splash has continued to pioneer the creation of great homes and workspaces across the wider Liverpool City region and beyond. Its vast portfolio includes the transformation of the Ropewalks in the 1990s, to creating commercial estates like the Matchworks in Speke to large scale regeneration projects across the country.

igloo is a national sustainable developer known for launching the world’s first UN-recognised responsible real estate investment fund in 2002, and becoming the UK’s 1st real estate B Corp in 2016. The company has led the delivery of many transformative, award-winning waterside schemes across the UK such as Ouseburn Valley Newcastle, Trent Basin Nottingham, and Dundashill Glasgow.

Montagu Evans is assisting the City Council as part of a multi-disciplinary team comprised of project delivery consultant and construction expert Mace, architecture and urban design group Metropolitan Workshop and architectural practice Shedkm.

The prime brownfield development scheme, 1 of the largest in northern England, has the backing of Homes England and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Part of a wider 90-acre site, Festival Gardens’ Development Zone extends to 27 acres and sits just three miles south of Liverpool City centre.

The remediated site occupies a stunning waterfront location, benefitting from outstanding green and blue infrastructure with the Festival Gardens parkland, f1st opened in 1984 and including formal Chinese and Japanese gardens, and the River Mersey immediately adjacent.

Development will be centred on phased, residential-led plans and multigenerational living with a range of housing types and tenures, maximising delivery and including more than 20% affordable housing.

The Council intends for the creation of a thriving, sustainable, healthy and inclusive neighbourhood with a strong identity and sense of community, developed using innovative design and building techniques to meet local housing need.

The announcement comes 2 years after the opening of the Southern Grasslands – Liverpool’s 1st public park of the 21st century – a 37-acre green lung which adjoins the site and was created from the award-winning remediation of the development zone.

Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Nick Small, said:- “We are thrilled to announce Urban Splash and igloo Regeneration as our development partners for Festival Gardens — 1 of Liverpool’s most iconic regeneration sites. This visionary joint venture is a bold step towards delivering an amazing housing scheme befitting this stunning location. These developers have a fabulous track record in delivering outstanding innovative and sustainable projects of the highest order. I can’t wait for our residents to see the details over the coming months.”

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- “Festival Gardens has the potential to be one of the most exciting and transformational brownfield developments in the country – and today’s announcement is a big step towards realising that vision. This is about more than just bricks and mortar, it’s about building the kind of place that people are proud to call home. We’re putting the foundations in place to create a thriving new neighbourhood that reflects the kind of future we want to build – inclusive, innovative, and with our residents in mind.”

Jonathan Falkingham, MBE, co-founder of Urban Splash, said:- "Festival Gardens is truly one of Liverpool's best sites, and it's a huge privilege to have been selected as Liverpool's development partner on the creation of this new riverside neighbourhood. Partnering with igloo, a brand that shares our values, our goal is to develop an exemplary, green place, that is accessible and sustainable for everyone, creating a lasting, vibrant community. We are grateful to Liverpool City Council for this opportunity and look forward to working closely with local residents to shape a community that the City can be proud of. We can’t wait to get started."

Peter Connolly, chief executive at igloo Regeneration, said:- “This appointment marks not only a huge milestone for us as an innovative joint venture partnership, but also for Liverpool City Region. Festival Gardens is 1 of the City’s most highly anticipated regeneration sites, and we aim to deliver a truly community-driven riverside neighbourhood that future residents and the wider community will be proud of. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Urban Splash to create a unique approach for this project and believe our shared values that centre around people, place and planet will inspire inclusivity, wellbeing, and a vibrant way of life for the community.”

A Liverpool City Council meeting in September will seek permission for the authority to enter into contract with the new JV company. If approved, the Council will work closely with Urban Splash and igloo to finalise legal agreements and agree a clear timeline for future stages of planning and development to bring delivery forward as quickly as possible.