Work commences at Liverpool’s Paddington South development
The local authority have chosen Morgan Sindall Construction to undertake masterplanning and enabling works to ensure the site is ready for future developments.
Paddington South is the next phase in the city’s flagship, mixed-use £1bn Knowledge Quarter Liverpool development, which is being delivered in collaboration with the University of Liverpool.
At the moment the Paddington Village development includes the WELL Platinum standards rated Spine Building, which provides Grade A office space, a multi-storey car park and a hotel. The next stage of the development will see new green space delivered around Grove Street, with the aim of improving biodiversity by 10%.
The city council received a multi-million-pound package from the government in spring to accelerate innovation-led economic growth. This funding enabled the acquisition of the former Smithdown Lane Police Station, which is expected to be demolished in the first quarter of 2025.
Councillor Nick Small, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet member for Growth and Economy, said: ‘The start of work at Paddington South is a landmark moment in our journey to ensuring Liverpool becomes one of Europe’s leading R&D centres in science innovation.
‘An expanded Paddington Village is vital to the city’s future economic growth and to creating a conveyor belt of high skilled jobs. Once delivered, this former brownfield site will become the engine room for the delivery of our wider Investment Zone plans for the coming decade and beyond.
‘I’m delighted the focus on providing a world-class development is as much on sustainability and creating a new green lung in the city and look forward to seeing the masterplan for the site take shape and develop.’
Likewise, Emily Robson, Assistant Chief Executive of Knowledge Quarter Liverpool has claimed that whilst the new development is great for Liverpool’s sustainability targets, it is also set to offer new jobs.
‘Paddington Village is intrinsic to the future success of the KQ Liverpool innovation district, with the capability to help create upwards of 10,000 new, highly-skilled jobs in the city region, building on our existing strengths in life sciences, robotics engineering and materials chemistry,’ Emily said. ‘The provision of green space and other amenities is crucial in creating a genuine sense of place and attracting people to live and work here. We look forward to supporting Morgan Sindall and the city council in their efforts to complete this next phase of work – taking us a step closer to realising the enormous potential of Paddington Village.’
Image: Liverpool City Council
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