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THE blueprint to drive forward Liverpool city centre over the next 15 years will be launched today.

A host of projects that should be prioritised for investment are included in the Liverpool City Centre Strategic Investment Framework 2012 by the city’s regeneration agency Liverpool Vision.

The last such report in 2000 envisaged key developments such as the Arena and Convention Centre and the Cruise Liner terminal so today’s document is seen as a crucial window to the future.

The priorities revealed include:

Making the area around St George’s Hall in to a Trafalgar Square type destination and improving the Waterfront are highlighted as key
improvements.

Upgrading the city’s three so-called “Great Streets” (The Strand, Hope Street, and the corridor from Lime Street to Water Street along Dale Street).

Pulling down the Churchill flyover, reducing the number of cars, and creating more ‘green’ spaces

Improving links between the city centre and Waterfront including creating an “all seasons” walkway along the waterfront.

Cities like New York, Melbourne, Hamburg, Ottawa, and Boston are used as inspiration in the 140-page document.

In contrast to the previous plan launched around 2000 the blueprint has fewer “big ticket” items that are not already planned.

Instead it focuses on improving the environment for visitors and residents. Projects in each of the main areas of the city centre are identified for “transformational projects” although no costings or funding plans are attached.

Max Steinberg, chief executive of report authors Liverpool Vision, told The Post: “I believe this report is ambitious and will create more jobs and businesses. If a city is to be dynamic it has to consistently re-invent itself.”

He said despite the current economic situation the report – known as the Strategic Investment Framework (SIF) – would provide the
foundation for continued growth in the city centre, with the population growing to 42,000.

In contrast to the past decade, when billions of Euro cash flooded into the city, less public funding will be available.

“Much of it is not about the public sector entirely, but the private sector stepping up to the plate and working with the public sector. If
you can create these conditions you create more business opportunities, and make it more business friendly.

“I believe this report will enable more businesses to be created, more business rates to be collected, and the supply chain to be widened.

“This is going to have to be done in a public private sector partnership.

“And there is going to continue to be some public funding made available in this country,” said Mr Steinberg.

In addition to the recommended projects a list of infrastructure upgrades are also suggested.

Liverpool Vision calls for a rapid transit link between the city centre and Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The lack of such a link will be a constraint on growth of the city centre, the report states.

The newly renovated Liverpool Central, and the yet to be revamped Moorfields stations also need capacity improvements according to the report.

Click through for what the plan outlines for the waterfront, the knowledge quarter, Liverpool's great streets, the commercial quarter and St George's Hall >>>>