Faithful+Gould has been appointed as development manager for the final phase of the King’s Dock development in Liverpool.

Liverpool City Council has procured Faithful+Gould as development manager, and BDP, as architect, to lead on the masterplan for the future development of seven plots covering 7.6 acres on King’s Dock, all of which adjoin the award-winning ACC Liverpool complex.

The project will include a residential-led, mixed-use development of international standard in terms of design and sustainability, with the potential for a major cultural and/or leisure venue. 

As part of a two-year process, the King’s Dock Development Team will also undertake investigations and review all existing surveys of the site.

Peter Jackson, north-west head of property at Faithful+Gould, said: “This is such an important development for the city of Liverpool and wider north-west region as this final stage will deliver on multiple fronts for residents living and working here. 

“At Faithful+Gould we are passionate about projects that deliver real social value on the ground and the King’s Dock regeneration has social value at its core. 

“We will also be drawing on our wide-ranging expertise in development management to support the client’s ambitions and ensure sustainability is locked in at every stage.” 

Mark Braund, architect director and head of BDP’s Liverpool Studio, said: “This is one of the best sites along the waterfront of Liverpool, it offers huge potential to the city and the wider region. 

“The King’s Dock is a place that has a diverse context, from performance venue to historic docks, residential neighbourhoods and creative districts. 

“We feel proud to be helping Liverpool shape the vision and masterplan and we are looking forward to engaging with the community over the coming months to help shape the future of the site."

The appointment of a team for this latest phase of the King’s Dock regeneration comes 15 years after the M&S Bank Arena opened on the dock to officially launch Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture. 

The venue has gone on to scoop numerous awards as an exemplar for brownfield regeneration.

As well as the 11,000-seat capacity arena, which is set to host Eurovision 2023 in May, King’s Dock now also hosts a convention centre – which includes a 1,350-seat conference auditorium – and the 8,100 sqm Exhibition Centre Liverpool.

It also includes a 1,450 space multi-storey car park, central public plaza, 1,800 residential housing units, and two 3-star plus hotels, along with the 4-star luxury Pullman Liverpool Hotel.

Councillor Sarah Doyle, cabinet member for Development and Economy, said the site marked the final chapter in the regeneration of the King’s Dock site and created a unique opportunity for Liverpool to create a world-leading waterfront development.

She said: “I’m delighted we’ve appointed such a talented and experienced team to deliver this first phase in this development. 

“There is a huge amount of work to be done and it needs to be carefully plotted out with the full engagement of local residents and stakeholders.

“The next two years will define the rest of the century for this site – and we need to ensure any scheme that comes forward is environmentally, socially and economically viable.”

She added that given the success to date of King’s Dock, the bar is already very high to deliver something truly significant, “that will sustain our economy and environment for decades to come”.

The masterplan has been made possible thanks to a £1m loan from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, which will be repaid from proceeds arising from the King’s Dock site sales.

In creating the masterplan, the team will undertake extensive consultations with the local community and stakeholders, before looking to secure outline planning permission, as well as marketing the opportunity to the highest quality and most aligned investors. 

Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: "We know that a strong city is vital for a strong city region - which is why we're investing £1m to support the regeneration of King's Dock, helping to create new jobs, new training opportunities and, hopefully, to act as a catalyst for further investment in the area. 

“I'm really looking forward to seeing how this final chapter in the transformation of King's Dock is brought to life.”