Liverpool has set out a £1.4bn plan to help boost the nation’s post-COVID-19 recovery and preparations for a post-Brexit economy.
The city has submitted a 178-page report to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor outlining how the city aims to prevent a “socio-economic crisis deeper than the 1980s recession”, with a multi-layered programme that would create 25,600 jobs and more than 9,700 apprenticeships.
The five years strategy, commissioned by the Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson and co-signed by the Metro Mayor of Liverpool City Region, also has the backing of 72 leading figures from the city’s commercial, legal, financial and cultural sectors including Liverpool FC Chief Executive Peter Moore, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool Professor Dame Janet Beer and John Godfrey of the fund Legal & General.
It focuses on Innovation, Housing, Employment and Creativity – with the goal of providing jobs and supporting people in accessing careers in the areas which will drive the UK economy in future decades.
Totalling £1.4bn these projects include the next phase of the city’s health innovation campus at Paddington Village and a Science and Tech Innovation Centre as part of the Liverpool John Moores University development at Copperas Hill in the city’s Knowledge Quarter (KQ Liverpool).
Projects include Health Innovation Liverpool, a virtual platform hosting integrated health data to enable greater understanding of the health and economic impacts of COVID-19, and a TV and Film Pop-Up Studio.
The temporary film studio will include two 20,000ft sound stages for film and TV production, extending content producers’ stay and spend in Liverpool.
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “The Covid-19 lockdown has left cities like Liverpool in a state of economic paralysis and the option of doing two things – wait for events to unfold or take action. Liverpool has acted. This recovery plan is a blueprint for a new Liverpool.
“Forged by ambition and confidence to be innovative in how we create new skills, new homes and new jobs, and it has the weight of the entire city behind it.
“This recovery plan is immensely detailed and the sheer volume of partners involved across both public and private sectors from a wide range of disciplines underlines our commitment to seize what is quite simply a once in a lifetime opportunity to reset Liverpool.
“It has been researched, analysed and fully costed and I’m confident the government will see that Liverpool means business. This recovery plan is all about partnerships – and we need the government to act as one too. The return on investment is huge, a stimulus package that will not just benefit Liverpool – but also the region and the country.”