The Paradise Project Totally Explained

Everything about The Paradise Project totally explained

The Paradise Project is a redevelopment project in Liverpool, England.
The project involves the redevelopment of 42 acres (170,000 m²) of underutilised land in Liverpool city centre. It is a retail led project, anchored by department stores John Lewis (moving from a smaller site in Liverpool city centre) and Debenhams, with additional elements including leisure (anchored by a 14-screen Odeon cinema), residential, offices, public open space and transport improvements. The project is intended to give Liverpool a dramatic lift in its ranking among British retail destinations and to boost the local economy .
The majority of the development is scheduled to open in 2008, during Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture, with the final residential units opening in 2009. The investment value of the project is £920 million .

Background

In April 1999, Liverpool City Council passed a resolution for comprehensive redevelopment of the Paradise Street Area, which consisted of the area bound by Strand Street, the Combined Courts Centre, Lord Street, Church Street, Hanover Street and Liver Street. The area contained Chavasse Park, the Paradise Street Bus Station and NCP Car Park, Quiggins, the Moat House Hotel, Canning Place Fire Station and BBC Radio Merseyside. There were also large areas of wasteland, some used as car parks.
In March 2000, Liverpool City Council selected the Duke of Westminster's Grosvenor Group as developer . The Development Agreement between the council and Grosvenor was signed in January 2003 . In December 2003, Grosvenor selected Laing O'Rourke as construction partner .

Excavations & Archaeology

Work began in Spring 2004 with the excavation of Chavasse Park, and construction began in Autumn the same year . Early works incorporated archaeological investigations, as Chavasse Park covered the ruins of buildings destroyed in World War II bombing, and the Canning Place car park was on the site of the Old Dock, the world's first wet dock

Main Construction

The first parts of the development to be completed were the multi-storey car park on Liver Street, and the bus station on Canning Place . Both opened in November 2005, allowing the old bus station and car park on Paradise Street to be demolished in January 2006 . This cleared the way for construction of the new buildings on the west side of Paradise Street, as the Moat House Hotel had already been demolished in May 2005 .
In July 2006, Herbert's Hairdressers became the first business to move into new premises in the development, in his uniquely-styled "Bling Bling Building" on Hanover Street. At the same time, BBC Radio Merseyside moved into new premises also on Hanover Street, allowing the demolition of the remaining buildings on Paradise Street . In August 2006, the traditional Topping out ceremony was held on what would become the top floor of the John Lewis store on the corner of Paradise Street and Canning Place .
In March 2007, following the completion of the main underground car park, works on re-instating Chavasse Park started, using polystyrene blocks to build up the height of the park . Polystyrene has the advantage that it's lighter than the equivalent amount of soil that would be required, considering it'll be laid on top of the concrete structure of the car park, and it offers adequate drainage.

Liverpool One

On 1st November 2005, Grosvenor unveiled Liverpool One as the new brand for the regeneration . Liverpool One will consist of six distinct districts, mixing retail, leisure and accommodation . Liverpool One also invents a new set of "rules" for the way Grosvenor and its partners approach development and management:

The New Rules

Make New Rules
Involve Everyone
Love the City
Think Big
Create more
Be The Best

The Six Districts

Hanover Street

An informal district, re-using old buildings, some formerly derelict, for homeware shops and street markets

Peter's Lane

Fashion retailers on arcades, streets and squares. Linking the existing Church Street area to the new district

Paradise Street

A wide pedestrianised shopping street, with flagship store John Lewis. Pavement cafés, leisure and housing

South John Street

The heart of the new shopping area, two levels of high-street shops and links to the park, with anchor stores John Lewis and Debenhams at each end

The Park

A reinstated Chavasse Park, rising in terraces from Strand Street to pavillions on a terrace high above South John Street. The park will conceal a 2,000-space underground car park, accessed by ramps and tunnels from Strand Street .

Point of Arrival

New bus station and multi-storey car park at the edge of the main shopping district

Criticism

The Open Spaces Society has criticised the removal of public rights of way in the development area and fears that universal access to Liverpool's central streets may be denied to citizens in future. It has also been critised for alienating local bussiness (such as Lewis's Department Store, Rapids and the stores on Bold Street). And for shifting Liverpools Shopping District (for example making lots of empty units around Church Street, Lime Street, Ranelagh Street, Bold Street)

Further Information

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