Liverpool City Region Development Update

HUGH FROST, BEETHAM | Hugh’s property career began with the refurbishment of a terraced house in his native Merseyside in 1972, from which he went on to build a major residential portfolio up until the mid-90s. His long and steady learning curve prepared him for greater things, beginning with a city centre hotel, then on to the residential & office tower developments for which he became famous, most notably for Beetham Tower in Manchester and Liverpool’s West Tower. He came to redefine the skylines of Britain’s largest cities, with major developments also in Birmingham & London. Frost is overseeing the delivery of the King Edward project on Liverpool’s waterfront in partnership with a subsidiary of retail giant TJ Morris, having bought the 7-acre site from Peel in April of this year. The scheme promises a cluster of major towers as part of a transformational mixed-use development.

EMILY ROBSON, KNOWLEDGE QUARTER LIVERPOOL | Emily is the assistant chief executive of KQ Liverpool & is helping to shape a world-leading innovation district in Liverpool. KQ Liverpool is the strategic place shaping organisation that brings together the Universities, NHS, City Council & private sector to deliver economic & inclusive growth across its 450-acre boundaries & the wider Liverpool City Region. Emily leads on KQ Liverpool’s policy work, as well as supporting the strategic development & delivery of KQ Liverpool’s inclusive innovation programmes with a focus on skills & business growth.

DR AILEEN JONES, LIVERPOOL JOHN MOORES UNIVERSITY | Aileen is pro-vice-chancellor for External Engagement & Partnerships at Liverpool John Moores University. She is responsible for the strategic leadership of LJMU’s partnerships within the UK & internationally & the university’s external engagement work. Aileen was previously executive director of investment & delivery at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, leading the Combined Authority’s investment work to maximise economic impact in the Region. She also led the delivery of business support & the city region’s inward investment function, & complex devolved programmes with a focus on people & skills, apprenticeships & homelessness.

STEVEN KNOWLES, MUSE | Steven is currently the director of development management with responsibility alongside the development team for delivery of Muse Places numerous projects within urban centres across the North West region. Specific projects include Talbot Gateway, Blackpool, Birkenhead Town Centre, The Wirral & St Helens Borough Council. Prior to Muse Places, Steven held senior leadership positions at two prominent PLC real estate companies, Harworth Group Plc & St. Modwen Plc gaining experience across both residential & commercial sectors with an extensive background in regeneration & partnership working.

SOPHIE BEVAN, LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL | Sophie has been director of regeneration at Liverpool City Council since May 2023. Prior to this, she worked at the LCR Combined Authority, leading investment into place-based economic opportunities & has wide experience of asset management & development gained through various private sector roles. Sophie leads on the delivery of major projects including Festival Gardens & Littlewoods, as well as strategic policy development such as the recent Liverpool Regeneration & Investment Proposition.

RICHARD KENYON, EVERTON | Richard joined Everton in 2014 as director of marketing & communications & in November 2021, took on an expanded remit to increase revenues & drive commercial growth across the Club. Richard & his team devised & led the award-winning consultation & engagement process for the Club’s new stadium – a process which received widescale public support & resulted in planning permission being granted for both a new waterfront stadium & a community-led regeneration scheme on the Goodison Park site.

IAN FORD, PEGASUS GROUP | Ian has recently joined Pegasus Group’s Liverpool office & brings 15 years of town planning experience within the city. He provides planning advice to public & private sector clients on major projects, having successfully led the planning applications for Princes Dock’s tall buildings, the recent Liverpool Waters masterplan update as well as working with Liverpool City Council for the past 8 years on Festival Gardens. Through this experience, Ian is passionate about waterfront regeneration, recognising its uniqueness & the lasting economic & cultural value it brings to Liverpool’s future.

SAMANTHA CAMPBELL, LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL | Samantha is the first female director of planning & building control. Her 25 year career at the council has led Samantha to take a lead planning role in a number of major regeneration schemes from Kings Dock to Liverpool’s Football Club’s stadium expansion to the development of the £2bn Knowledge Quarter & overseeing the growth of the Baltic Triangle. Samantha has also played a key role in the city’s new Waterfront strategy & has worked closely on projects such as Liverpool Waters. As director of planning, her brief oversees the development of emerging growth zones in the city such as Ten Streets, the Fabric District, Paddington Village & the implementation of the Local Plan to build 20,000 new homes across the city over the next 10 years.

WESLEY ROURKE, HALTON COUNCIL | Wesley has been executive director for environment & regeneration since June 2023. He provides day to day leadership of the directorate which comprises three departments. Economy Enterprise & Property department covers the Council’s key strategic regeneration projects, its employment, learning & skills & business support functions as well as being responsible for the Council’s land & property. Community & Greenspace department provides a wide range of services including leisure & culture, community safety, waste management & recycling, open spaces, registration services, community services & community development. Planning & Transportation department provides professional advice & technical expertise relating to the development of land, buildings & transport systems.

CHRIS CAPES, LIVERPOOL WATERS | Chris is the director of development for Peel Waters’ £5bn Liverpool Waters regeneration project & has over 20 years’ experience working in regeneration & property development. Liverpool Waters is currently delivering over £1bn of new developments on site, including the new Everton Stadium, & has delivered over 660 new homes since 2019 with 600 more currently under construction. The next phase of regeneration focuses on Central Docks – the largest neighbourhood within Liverpool Waters. With a £56m boost from Homes England & full planning approval for the delivery of a 2-hectare park & enabling infrastructure, the Liverpool Waters team will deliver over 2,350 homes over the next 10 years as well as new commercial, retail & hotel developments. The Central Docks neighbourhood will be a huge game changer, not just for North Liverpool & the city centre, but for the whole Liverpool City Region & beyond.

Tickets cost £88+VAT. There will be a mix of presentations and panels. Breakfast and lunch are included, providing plenty of opportunity for business development.

This event is sponsored by Fairhurst Architects, Freeths, Muse, Curtins and Pegasus

View sponsorship opportunities.

Book using the form below – if you can’t see the form, please contact [email protected]