ONE of the most important non-religious posts at Liverpool’s Anglican cathedral is changing hands.

The cathedral architect is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the iconic building, as well as advising on any new developments at the site.

After 15 years, the present architect, Martyn Coppin, is stepping down.

His major project was designing and overseeing the building of the Visitor Centre, one of the biggest internal changes to the cathedral in many years.

The main aim of the Visitor Centre was to generate the money needed to help keep the cathedral free to the approximately half a million tourists who go to the Grade I listed building each year.

The first two phases of the new centre, which included the cathedral shop and new visitor toilets, opened in December, 2006, and early 2007. The final phase, involving upgrading the existing restaurant area, was completed in early 2008.

A year later, the cathedral won the accolade of Best Large Visitor Attraction at the north-west annual tourism awards hosted by The Mersey Partnership.

Mr Coppin said: “The cathedral has seen some dramatic changes in the time I’ve been here.

“The Visitor Centre has proved very popular. Because the cathedral was only finished in the 1970s, it is still a modern building, although it looks old. So you can be quite modern in these insertions and the cathedral responds quite well.”

He added: “Every Anglican cathedral has to have an architect, appointed by the Dean and Chapter of the Diocese, to advise on its maintenance, and on changing or adapting the building.