Scheme to transform Europe's oldest Chinatown unveiled

A 200-million-pound project to transform Liverpool's famous Chinatown was unveiled Wednesday by the city's deputy Mayor Ann O'Byrne.

It represents the biggest single investment for a generation in what is Europe's oldest Chinatown.

Project Director Antonio Garcia said the New Chinatown Project will turn the district into an international standard destination.

The 'New Chinatown' scheme will see around 800 housing units including apartments and town houses built along Chinatown's main through road, the Great George Street. Close by will be around 19,000 sq meters of commercial space.

It is being developed by North Point Global (China Town Developments Limited), the development-arm of established local construction firm PHD1.

The development site, facing Liverpool's iconic Anglican Cathedral, has lain derelict for many years.

Deputy Mayor O'Byrne, said: "This is a key site in Chinatown right on a main route into the city center and has fantastic potential. PHD1 have come up with a really exciting project which will completely transform this piece of land and will be the catalyst to breathe new life into the wider area.

"They have devised some extremely innovative ideas around developing links with China and the universities to create a substantial number of new jobs and bring a completely new commercial and retail offer to the area."

Face to face meetings with local community groups and businesses will now take place and 10,000 copies of a consultation newsletter, in English and Chinese, will be distributed to local homes and businesses.

Garcia from Liverpool-based BLOK Architecture said: "From the very outset we viewed this development as an historic opportunity to be the catalyst for the regeneration of Chinatown. We are offering a dynamic mixed-use scheme that will bring people and business to the area and make it an international quality destination.

"One of the most important elements of our vision, which we have developed with our Chinese investors, is the creation of up to 200 new Chinese businesses with the potential to create over 1,000 jobs. We view this as one of the most important and potentially transformational development opportunities in Liverpool."

Liverpool Chinatown is home to what is described as the biggest traditional Chinese arch outside China. It was built in Shanghai in 1999 and transported to the city to celebrate Liverpool and Shanghai becoming sister cities. Endit