REDEVELOPMENT of Liverpool’s former International Garden Festival site is a key project in the city’s renaissance, the man behind the new park plan insisted yesterday.

Peter Swift, landscape architect for developers Langtree McLean, outlined the vision for the restoring the flagship Chinese and Japanese gardens, and improving the southern grasslands and Priory Wood.

Mr Swift was addressing the public inquiry into planning permission for 1,300 homes on the derelict Otterspool site.

Developers argue the new homes, mostly eight-storey apartment blocks, and 68 houses, are needed to raise cash for restora-tion of the 56-acre garden site that will be public parkland.

But campaigners are opposed to the loss of “green wedge space”.

Mr Swift, managing director of Hale-based land-scape architects Planit-ie, is behind the plans to create a “21st century waterpark”.

The plan involves creating a 67-acre waterfront park while 28-acres of the site will be taken up with housing.

Mr Swift said: “Major parks are seen as key indicators of a city’s success and prosperity on the international stage, and I believe the waterfront park will be seen alongside Paradise Street [shopping development], the Liverpool arena and Mann Island as a key project in the renaissance of Liverpool and city region.

He said that according to the felling licence 2,100 trees would be removed and 1,600 trees would be replanted. During cross examination David Morton, spokesman for the Save Our Festival Gardens campaign group, raised concerns the promenade could in future be gated at night to stop people walking along it.

Mr Swift said there was “absolutely no chance” of that happening.

The inquiry continues until Friday, November 16.

davidbartlett