The first image and details of a flagship, eco-friendly housing scheme at Liverpool’s iconic Festival Gardens have been unveiled, showcasing plans for a multi-generational neighbourhood that could see up to 800 new homes created on the Mersey waterfront.
Liverpool City Council has revealed a landmark proposal to transform one of England’s largest brownfield sites into an innovative and sustainable community.
A report going before the City Council Cabinet next week seeks approval to enter a development agreement with award-winning developers Urban Splash and igloo Regeneration. Following a competitive procurement process last autumn, the partners have formed a joint venture that will deliver 34 different housing styles on the 27-acre riverside site.
Designed as a “festival of housing,” the scheme will maximise renewable energy and pioneering construction techniques to reduce its carbon footprint, while offering an unprecedented mix of housing types and tenures.
Pending Cabinet approval, the first planning application is expected in late 2026 for 440 homes — including 80 extra care and 110 affordable homes, exceeding the Council’s 20% affordable housing target. If approved, construction would begin in Spring 2027, with subsequent phases delivering up to 800 homes in total.
Backed by Homes England and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the project will celebrate the legacy of the 1984 International Garden Festival and build upon the major remediation of the Festival Gardens site. More than 95% of materials excavated during the clean-up were recycled, paving the way for the creation of Liverpool’s 37-acre Festival Gardens park, the city’s first new major park of the 21st century.
The new neighbourhood will be shaped by extensive public consultation, with detailed proposals for community facilities, green public spaces, and supporting infrastructure.
The scheme will be delivered by a consortium of partners, including:
- Alpha Living (extra care)
- Regenda Group (affordable homes)
- TOWN (co-housing)
- Starship (modern methods of construction)
- Urban Splash Residential Fund, Urban Splash and igloo (various elements of housing)
Liverpool City Council is supported by a multidisciplinary team: real estate legal specialists DWF, consultants Montagu Evans, project delivery experts Mace, architects Metropolitan Workshop, and design practice Shedkm.
Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said:
“We have always wanted to deliver an amazing housing scheme befitting this stunning location. And I think the plans outlined in this report show that the ambition to do something truly special at Festival Gardens can and will be delivered.
“The team of developers we’re looking to work with have a fabulous track record in delivering outstanding innovative and sustainable projects of the highest order. I can’t wait for our residents to see more details over the coming months and for them to have their input before the planning application is submitted next year.”
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:
“Festival Gardens has the potential to be one of the most exciting and transformational brownfield developments in the country – and I’m delighted to see it moving forward.
“This is about more than just bricks and mortar, it’s about building the kind of place that people are proud to call home. We’re laying the foundations for a thriving new neighbourhood that reflects the kind of future we want to build – inclusive, innovative, and with our residents at its heart.”
Jonathan Falkingham, MBE, co-founder of Urban Splash, said:
“Festival Gardens is one of Liverpool’s biggest opportunities. It’s a huge privilege to have been selected as the city’s development partner on the creation of this new riverside neighbourhood. Our aim is to create a place for everyone and embrace the spirit of the original Garden Festival – showcasing outstanding housing design, innovative landscape strategies for healthier living, and building on the arts and cultural programme initiated 40 years ago.
“We’re excited to work alongside our partners Alpha Living, Regenda, Town and Starship, together with six of the UK’s leading housing architects, Liverpool City Council, wider stakeholders and the local community to deliver an exemplar project that the city can be proud of, and we look forward to sharing more details of the project in the near future.”
Peter Connolly, chief executive at igloo Regeneration said:
“Festival Gardens is a landmark project that will create lasting impact for the city region, with a thriving new neighbourhood offering a diverse mix of homes to support people at every stage of life. It also brings together, under the JV’s leadership, a pioneering coalition of developers with a shared commitment to transform this iconic site into a community that’s sustainable, inclusive and built to last.”
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