Works gets underway on Liverpool’s £200m New Chinatown development

Developer North Point Global has begun construction work on the New Chinatown development in Liverpool – a £200m project to create 850 homes, a new hotel and 150,000 sq ft of retail and commercial space.

Phase one of the development, which is set to completely transform the city’s historic Chinatown area, will see contractors Scottish Power and BILT Group providing site excavation work and related services.

The chair of North Point Global, David Choules, commented: “Following completion of the site acquisition, I am delighted to announce that work on this exciting scheme is now underway.

“We’re looking forward to progressing above-ground development and it will be great to see the first phase of the project taking shape over the next few months.”

With detailed planning consent in place for phase one and outline permission secured for the subsequent phases, North Point Global is due to complete the development’s initial phase by the end of 2017.

The scheme as a whole is set for completion in 2019.

Speaking further, David said: “From the outset we wanted this scheme to be an authentic Chinese development that brought new commercial energy and entrepreneurialism into the heart of an historic Chinatown.

“This is not only something unique in the UK, it will be something unique outside China itself.”

Now, North Point Global has reported receiving strong interest in the scheme’s commercial space from China-based retailers and other businesses seeking to gain a foothold in the UK.

Charis Chan, from estate agents Hong Kong Homes, commented: “This project has really caught the imagination of investors. The commercial units are an extremely popular opportunity for Chinese businesses seeking a foothold in the UK.

“This will be a development with a unique offer and character.”

The lead architect on the development is Antonio Garcia, the managing director of Liverpool-based BLOK Architecture.

Discussing the New Chinatown project, he said he believes it will serve as a catalyst for the city’s growth and could lead to the acceleration of other local developments.

He said: “Now we are on site it will hopefully give an impetus to neighbouring projects in the Baltic as well as the Brewery Village and St James Heritage Quarter developments.

“The city centre is moving south and that is why the potential re-opening of the St James station would have such a positive impact.”

Antonio added: “There is so much exciting potential and we are delighted to be kick-starting it with work now commencing on New Chinatown.”

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