Major progress has been revealed on the £81.1 million Central Docks regeneration project at Liverpool Waters, one year after work began to transform the former docklands into a new waterfront neighbourhood featuring thousands of homes, green spaces and leisure facilities.

Peel Waters has marked the first anniversary of construction by highlighting the scale of work already completed across the 26-acre site, which will become the largest of the five neighbourhoods within the wider Liverpool Waters development.

The ambitious project, being delivered by construction company GRAHAM, is supported by £25.9 million of investment from Peel Waters and £55.2 million in funding from Homes England.

Once completed, the infrastructure will unlock land for approximately 2,350 new homes, alongside commercial spaces, community facilities and a major new waterfront park.

Over the past year, construction teams have excavated, processed and reused approximately 78,000 cubic metres of material, installed almost 20 kilometres of utility ducting and laid 2.7 kilometres of drainage infrastructure.

Work has also included new bridge foundations, roads, pedestrian routes and public spaces, with more than 1,640 metres of kerbing and 1,400 square metres of paving already completed.

In a significant effort to preserve Liverpool’s maritime heritage, more than 1,300 tonnes of historic dockside cobbles have been carefully recovered for reuse throughout the development, equivalent to the weight of approximately 170 double-decker buses.

At the heart of the new neighbourhood will be Central Park, a five-acre green space designed to become one of Liverpool city centre’s largest new parks.

Plans include children’s play areas, sports courts, parkour equipment for teenagers, open lawns, shaded seating areas and flexible spaces for pop-up markets, community events and live performances.

A new café pavilion with indoor and outdoor seating will provide a focal point for visitors, while more than 3,000 trees will be planted across Central Docks.

The development will also introduce improved walking and cycling routes, helping reconnect communities with Liverpool’s historic waterfront.

Chris Capes, Liverpool Waters Development Director at Peel Waters, said:

“A year ago we celebrated the start of works at Central Docks. Twelve months later, we’re seeing real and substantial progress on the ground across what is the largest neighbourhood within Liverpool Waters.

“Projects of this scale start with the infrastructure that people don’t always see, but it is this investment that makes everything else possible. Every metre of drainage installed, every utility connection delivered and every bridge structure completed is helping create the framework for an entirely new waterfront community.

“Central Docks will deliver approximately 2,350 homes alongside a major city park, new public spaces and opportunities for businesses to invest and grow. As these works continue, we’re creating development-ready plots and are already in active discussions with developers, investors and funding partners interested in helping deliver the next phase of the neighbourhood.”

The regeneration project is also creating opportunities for young people across Liverpool through apprenticeships, work placements and construction industry training.

Partnerships have included The City of Liverpool College, Liverpool John Moores University, youth engagement organisation PLACED and the LFC Foundation’s Pathway to Work programme.

The project has also achieved a 99% score under the Considerate Constructors Scheme, recognising its approach to responsible construction.

Alastair Lewis, GRAHAM Contracts Director, said:

“GRAHAM is delivering the essential infrastructure that will unlock the regeneration of this historic area of Liverpool’s waterfront.

“In our first year on site, we have installed almost 20 kilometres of utility ducting, laid 2.7 kilometres of drainage, and completed the foundations for new bridge structures.

“This vital work is transforming former dockland into development-ready sites, creating the infrastructure needed to support the delivery of approximately 2,350 new homes.”

The progress at Central Docks comes alongside continued investment across the wider Liverpool Waters development.

Everton Football Club has completed its first full year at Hill Dickinson Stadium, while Princes Dock has welcomed the UK’s first floating padel destination, Vibora Liverpool Waters, and an expansion of Wyld Sauna.

A new 31-storey residential tower featuring 278 build-to-rent apartments has also been completed, adding to the growing waterfront community.

Looking ahead, work at Central Docks will continue with further infrastructure improvements, the installation of a new pedestrian bridge and the creation of development-ready plots for future housing.

The infrastructure and Central Park are expected to be completed in spring 2028, paving the way for the next phase of residential development.

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