Liverpool’s £1 Billion Waterfront Overhaul Could See The Strand Go Underground

A major transformation could soon reshape one of Liverpool’s most prominent routes, with plans underway to potentially move part of The Strand below ground as part of a £1 billion waterfront redevelopment.

Excitement is growing among local leaders over the ambitious regeneration of the King Edward Triangle area. The large-scale project, centred around Gibraltar Row near The Strand, aims to deliver nearly 3,000 new homes and approximately 400 hotel rooms — dramatically altering the landscape around the iconic Three Graces.

The scheme is being led by a partnership between property developers Beetham and the TJ Morris group, the retail firm behind Home Bargains. Plans also include a potential 25,000 sq ft arena, Liverpool’s first AA-rated five-star hotel, and significant commercial office space, representing a bold vision for the northern waterfront.

Liverpool City Council’s cabinet is expected to approve the sale of land on Great Howard Street to KEIE — a subsidiary of the TJ Morris Group — which already owns the surrounding freehold. While the land deal is moving forward, final decisions regarding changes to the road infrastructure, especially The Strand, are still pending.

One of the more radical ideas under consideration involves “sinking” part of The Strand to create space above for public use and better integrate the new development with the wider city centre. Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram discussed the concept during the launch of the Liverpool City Region’s 10-year growth strategy at the University of Liverpool.

“What we would do as a combined authority is provide the means to help others deliver these kinds of projects,” Rotheram said. “If the ambition is to take The Strand underground and connect areas that are currently separated, we’ll work strategically with the city council to make that possible.”

He highlighted the challenge posed by Leeds Street and The Strand as physical barriers to connectivity: “If we can overcome that, it would open up the entire corridor for development and connection.”

The idea isn’t new. Liverpool’s head of planning, Samantha Campbell, previously described lowering The Strand as a “radical intervention” — one that would reclaim valuable surface space and create a seamless link between the city centre, King Edward Triangle, and the northern docks.

Progress on the project is accelerating.

A planning application submitted in June seeks permission to construct a 28-storey tower with 255 residential units. Additionally, a recent application proposes demolishing several unlisted buildings on the northern edge of the site, signaling that the first phases of construction could soon begin.