LIVERPOOL has real estate “most cities would die for”, according to a world-leading urban design expert.

Canadian Professor Trevor Boddy, who was in town to deliver a lecture as part of the Cities For People series, said the prime land on the waterfront would be a major draw for the Chinese market if it were developed into residential properties.

Prof Boddy said: “Waterside real estate, I don’t think in global terms you (Liverpool) realise how valuable that is, especially to Asian markets. No-one can compete with it.”

Prof Boddy, whose lecture last night came within a week of Liverpool council launching its 15-year strategic investment framework plan, warned against following “go creative” model, but instead concentrating on proper urban development.

He added: “It’s no good going down the ‘creative city’ route and building recording studios and making it into a hipster town.

“I’ve got nothing against hipsters, but I think that solution has had its day.”

He said that the development of the waterfront should have social as well as financial and architectural benefits, adding: “You shouldn’t develop it through the first proposal that comes along.

“The secret of Vancouver is you make it work by making the developers build the parks and the creches for the young kids, even old folks homes.

“In other words, you tax them to make sure they give something back to the city. Now (developers in Vancouver) understand that they’ve made a lot of money out of creating a liveable city.”