Lime Street to be made ‘as accessible as possible’ in run up to Christmas as major work stops

Hopes for Lime Street project to be finished before Spring 2022 after council legally terminates developers contract.
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Liverpool City Council has legally terminated the contract for the blighted Lime Street development scheme after the principal contractor, NMCN Ltd, fell into administration.

All major work will now cease while a review of the controversial multi-million pound redesign of one of the city’s key gateways takes place.

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In the interim, the area will be made as accessible as possible in the run up to the busy Christmas period for the city centre.

It is hoped the Lime Street development scheme will be completed before the start of Spring 2022.

Contractors NMCN went into administration earlier this month. The Nottingham-based firm failed to sign off its 2020 accounts and secure a re-financing of the business.

Lime Street controversy

Critics have argued that the redevelopment of Lime Street and St George’s Plateau will cut-off the city’s bus routes from Liverpool’s mainline station.

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The Mayor and her cabinet earlier agreed to review the plan after an emergency motion was put to council.

The redevelopment work, which began in October 2020, is part of a wider City Centre Connectivity Scheme, made up of eight projects.

The £47 million portfolio of projects has been hit by delays and has run significantly over budget, with some reports putting the figure at an extra £13 million.

The eight projects

The original eight projects for Phase One of the City Centre Connectivity Scheme are as follows:

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Lime Street: Creating a new gateway into the city from Liverpool Lime Street Station and a new events space for St George’s Plateau.

Victoria Street and Tithebarn Street: Enhancing the area for public use and improving connectivity through the city by introducing a new cycle link between Lime Street and the Waterfront.

Brownlow Hill: Enhancing the area for public use and introducing of new cycle link from Liverpool Lime Street to the Knowledge Quarter.

Moorfields: Improving the footways and introducing new trees to enhance the area and the entrance into Moorfields Station.

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City Bus Hub: Creating a new bus layover with welfare facilities in Old Haymarket for buses leaving Queen Square bus station so reducing congestion and pollution in the city centre.

City Coach Park: Building an off-street parking facility and rest area for coach drivers.

Canning Dock Bridges: Building four new bridges to link Salthouse Quay with Mann Island and opening up land for future development.

The Strand: Improving links for pedestrians and cyclists between the city centre shopping areas and the waterfront leisure district by reassigning existing road space along The Strand.

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