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What do you think about the green city?

What do you think of Liverpool, and what do you think the redevelopment of the city?

  • Hi, I'm wondering if you can help me. I'm currently writing my disertation and i am looking for some 'true scouser' opinions (meant in the nicest possible way) on the city's redevelopment. How do you think that the current plans and future plans for the city will impact on the people and culture. Do you feel that the redevelopment will affect you directly or indirectly. Do you feel that redevelopments across the city are of benefit to the Liverpudlian people? Do you feel you have been considered and included in the designs and proposals? What is you overall opinion of the redevelopments and their locations. Without trying to lead you into answerng one way or another, my disertation is looking at the regeneration policys of the city, how they have implemented and there successes and failures. If you could just give me your honest opinion, write as much or as little as you like, try and be as clear as possible with as little or as much emotion as you think is required. Thanks

  • Answer:

    Liverpool has always been a cracking place to live and socialise, though the jobs were always in short supply. There is a general feeling that much of the redevelopment is unsympathetic to the character of the place, that local opinions are overruled and councillors are too eager to please powerful property developers. The famous skyline with its ‘Three Graces’ is now broken up by gimmicky tower blocks that simply won’t last. The unpopular Edge Lane clearances, resisted by local residents through the courts, have at last been condemned by C.A.B.E., the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment who are the Government’s advisers. Everyone seems far too easily impressed by the amount of building going on, but the “iconic” high rise tower blocks of overpriced flats in the city centre are largely emptyand unsold, and the Grosvenor shopping development, the so-called ‘Liverpool One’ along with the Conference Centre will provide only low-skill, low-pay, crappy jobs: shop assistants, sweepers, catering assistants, security guards, cleaners, etc., and these are in shops, personal services and tourist hotels, the first businesses that will go under when a recession comes along. To native Liverpudlians it is apparent that the development is done more for the benefit of outsiders who will disappear when they’ve made their money. (Rather like the outsiders who are employed by the Liverpool Culture Company that is making such a public co*k-up of European Capital of Culture!) There is also a resentment about press and politicians’ comments about how the city has “turned around” when it plainly hasn’t! It is the spivs, chancers and money men who turned their backs in the 1970s and 1980s who have turned around; they are back for the moment because they can smell large quantities of public money controlled by gullible, simple-minded and vain local politicians and the consequent likelihood of quick, easy profits. We natives aren’t expecting them to be loyal to the city or to hang around much longer. It would be lovely to think of Liverpool in a long-term economic renaissance, but from the evidence before us we'd be fools to believe it!

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Its mega, very characteristic, expensive, stylish. It has put so much more into an already very popular city. It is second to none

leigha

I think the infrastructure of the city is finally catching up with the culture within the city. Anyone who lives here knows about the vibrancy of the place, but years of underinvestment and decline (and Thatcher) have wreaked havoc. I hope that everything works out, and a lot is riding on the opening of Liverpoolone in May and later in the year. I have two issues, I don't think there has been any 'great' architecture, OK the idea of building a whole new city centre is novel, and One Park West looks to be a striking building, but much of it looks pretty bland from what I have been able to see. Hopefully it will be better when it opens. The other thing is that the redevelopment needs to move outside of the city centre and engage with the communities just outside of the city centre.

Corneilius

"How do you think that the current plans and future plans for the city will impact on the people and culture?" It will improve the standard of living of most. Many will be displaced as gentrification comes in. Culture? People are now more ware of their history and sub-culture "Do you feel that the redevelopment will affect you directly or indirectly?" Indirectly. "Do you feel that redevelopments across the city are of benefit to the Liverpudlian people?" Yes overall. Some are not well thought out, like the Kings Dock Arena complex. "Do you feel you have been considered and included in the designs and proposals?" No. "What is you overall opinion of the redevelopments and their locations?" Re-populating the centre and attracting the middle classes to the city is essential to raise the city from a working class stronghold. There is no strategy for the dock waterways. Private companies are filling them in creating land by stealth http://www.saveliverpooldocks.co.uk "Without trying to lead you into answerng one way or another, my disertation is looking at the regeneration policys of the city, how they have implemented and there successes and failures?" The greatest legacy to the city is redundant dock waterways which can make the city like an Amsterdam in a very short time - catapult the city forwards. They are being misused and not used for people to live around - only for private companies to make money from. Many of the docks were filled in to canal boat depths for private companies to make money from - large historic ships and tall ships cannot berth near the centre. Peel Holding are wanting to fill in West Waterloo Dock. The amount of water space lost is the equivalent to some large ports. Another legacy is the disused rail infrastructure - much of it underground. This is not being re-used to expand the Merseyrail underground. Expand the rapid transit rail system and inner cities will encourage investment. The city as whole will encourage investment. Other major cities would give their right arms for the legacy of the dock waters and underground rail tunnels and stations. They are poorly managed and no idea what to do with them Only for World Heritage Status much of the docks would be filled in having shed warehouses on them like B&Q. The city turned down the £1 billion investment of world-class iconic Brunswick Quay Tower (the architect came second in the World Trade Centre replacement). Clueless, no idea. The city needs outsiders to lay down the regeneration strategy as the locals haven't much of a clue. A Frenchman with vision would be nice - they have style and appreciate art.

John B

its a work in progress for a brighter newer look and the knock on effects that such a positive plan will bring

RAINBOW

The city centre is having many new commercial premises built and the regeneration seems to be aimed at shopping and spending money in general, many of Liverpool's residents will not be able to afford to shop in these new stores. Shopping in Liverpool will be no different from shopping in any other city. The roads and pavements on the main runs into Liverpool have all been refurbished and the flyover at the end of the M62 looks great, but other roads and pavements are being sidelined. Pavements are being patched up with tarmac, it looks awful. I agree some of this is necessary to bring money into the city but have a look at the outskirts of the city. On Edge Lane there are rows of houses all boarded up, they are covered up with 'arty' boards but they look a mess and the housing is wasted because the council lost the battle to knock them down to widen the road and now they lay empty. Many areas of the city are falling to bits but as long as the shops, museums, art galleries bars and restaurants look good for tourists then that's ok. Don't get me wrong, I love the museums and galleries etc but more is needed to help the residents if Liverpool who don't feel part of this scene. I am also extremely proud that we won the capital of culture bid, Liverpool's finer side can be showcased for a change! Better housing, better public transport, improved youth clubs and better policing is what we need. Let's hope when the 'City of Culture' year is over, the real people of the city will benefit from any profits.

Tilly_Mint

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