The response of Liverpool, Wirral and others will be interesting. They rightly have to take account of planning policy and the wishes of residents, but the recession has made Peel’s case more compelling. This project is part of the wider Ocean Gateway plan which includes community and port developments throughout Merseyside and Warrington. Peel appears ready to go while other firms and banks are still unsure if the recession is passing.

On that front Whittaker had mixed messages. He told the Merseyside CBI that the banks were recapitalised and there was more activity in the housing market. However he noted that when the recession started it had been felt that, because it was caused by a banking collapse, London and the South East would be harder hit than the North West. This hadn’t happened – one more reason to get on with job-creating construction projects.

Peel believes that the Ocean Gateway concept is reliant on looking beyond local council boundaries with an integrated approach to housing and transport. Whittaker supported the continued existence of the NWDA.

It looks likely the next NWDA chairman will be Robert Hough, Peel’s deputy chairman, who wore a non-committal smile as word spread that his only known rival for the job, former broadcaster Felicity Goodey, was out of the race.