11 NEWS ITEMS ON CONSTRUCTION with cheeky comment! Liverpool Building Boom

[@anthonymcdonnell6615]

while they are messing with Strand in Liverpool, might as well build a replica of The Overhead Railway too

[@AidanEyewitness]

Well I did suggest a monorail replacement of the LOR to a senior person at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and he definitely was not impressed! Still, I think your idea is good!

[@johnburns4017]

@@AidanEyewitness Monorail's have a poor track record around the world. It needs a DLR type of railway (which is mainly an elevated railway) that merges with Merseyrail.

[@AidanEyewitness]

@@johnburns4017 Well, they can make them work well in Japan, but that's Japan. That doesn't mean they can be made to work in other parts of the world.

[@johnburns4017]

@@AidanEyewitness Liverpool is best with an elevated railway which merges into Merseyrail. The new shorter and lighter Class 777 trains are ideal for this, as they are designed specifically for Merseyrail's needs by the Swiss.

[@joshch4]

Great video, loved the new format. More Liverpool, please!

[@AidanEyewitness]

Many thanks - I try to do equal amounts of Liverpool and Manchester videos.

[@johnburns4017]

I love your enthusiasm for these two cities, wanting the best for both.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Well I've been enthusiastic about them since childhood! I did my first project on local architecture in primary school. It's important for me to do both cities. Many thanks.

[@johnburns4017]

@@AidanEyewitness To you the bottle is always half full and still filling. 🙂

[@kathleenrodgers4514]

Thanks Aiden, I really enjoyed this video, it was very different and I hope you do more . Thanks again

[@AidanEyewitness]

Many thanks, the feedback is very helpful!

[@wormsnake1]

Great video. Great voice. Keep them coming!! ❤️🙏

[@AidanEyewitness]

Many thanks for your positive feedback!

[@zazoutoo]

Another really interesting and entertaining video. Thanks Aidan

[@AidanEyewitness]

@@zazoutoo That’s great! Another similar video in Manchester Q4 developments in the pipeline. 😊

[@linndrumfan1959]

Great content, Aiden, and I like the new format. 😀👍 The amount of stalled projects and delayed projects in Liverpool is getting ridiculous. I can't imagine how frustrating it is for people that live there.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Hopefully it is starting to turn the corner now. Many thanks for your positive feedback. I hope to get onto a more frequent schedule from now on and to do a similar 'news' type video for Manchester during Q4.

[@linndrumfan1959]

@AidanEyewitness That's excellent. I'll look forward to it!

[@thewiseman80]

pre work already started on the baltic station. there were a team of 20 plus surveyors from the council at the site about 4 weeks ago.

[@AidanEyewitness]

@@thewiseman80 Thanks for the update. Hope to see work starting properly soon.

[@justjacqueline2004]

Looking forward to more SPVs and their structure. The decision makers are an exciting group in Liverpool well worth observing from behind glass.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Many thanks for your comment!

[@R6AAO]

Don't forget the UFO part of the beacon used to be a restaurant and would slowly rotate to give you a premium view of the city while you dined.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Yes, it would be great if the restaurant could be brought back. The one in the TV Tower in Berlin has been in continuous use - apart from refurbishment going on at the moment. If Berlin can do it surely Liverpool can!

[@DNOPLAYSGAMES]

Wicked updates, cheers, hard to find reliable or up to date information on developments around the city. I live in the city centre and very curious about things going on around our streets, looks like there’s so much potential but nothings happening

[@AidanEyewitness]

Thanks, traditional media tend to ignore urban development stories as they think the average viewer or listener is not interested in how the city is being developed but there is a great interest and I try to provide that information. Thanks for your words of support.

[@-scgg-gg7938]

I liked the idea of making “The Strand” underground, it reminded me of a video I watched recently about Boston’s Big Dig.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Ah yes, as another commenter has remarked. Big project: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Dig

[@iamcarbonandotherbits.8039]

In the early 70s my wife and I, had a dinner there, at the time I thought, life doesn't get any better than this. Had just turned 18 at the time, and had just gotten married.

[@AidanEyewitness]

@@iamcarbonandotherbits.8039 You mean in the revolving restaurant. Many thanks for this. Hope it returns so others can experience the same feeling!

[@KJames2345]

Look you filmed a drone 2:22 😂 I find it fascinating that all these tall building project are being built up north, the East Midlands is reluctant to approve tall buildings in cities such as Nottingham and Leicester, in Leicester councillors think a 20 storey building is too high, and best thing is Leicester could build very high towers as the Airport is 10 miles north from the city, so there wouldn't be to much restrictions to build a 40+ storey high building.

[@AidanEyewitness]

No, that was a light aircraft, its altitude was way above the height of the tower, I'd estimate about 2000 feet. The highest a drone can fly is 400 feet, lower than the height of St John's Beacon.

[@tomforsey]

Big fan of the new format

[@pippin9466]

So am I

[@AidanEyewitness]

Glad to hear that. The next one will be on Manchester.

[@AidanEyewitness]

@@pippin9466 Many thanks for the feedack

[@anthonymcdonnell6615]

radio city tower, used to a revolving restaurant when i was a kid in the 1980s

[@AidanEyewitness]

I never went to the restaurant. It's a shame it was closed. I once visited the revolving restaurant in the TV Tower in Berlin. It's operated continuously since the tower opened in 1973, though it's currently closed for renovation and opening in Easter 2025. Let's hope they do similar in Liverpool!

[@linndrumfan1959]

@@anthonymcdonnell6615 That sounds cool! Let's hope that they decide to bring it back for the new generations to enjoy and experience.

[@johnburns4017]

@@AidanEyewitness It was fabulous. Unique.

[@misstakenot9582]

A replacement revolving restaurant in St Johns Beacon would be good. I doubt that it would be feasible today though because of fire regulations. There aren't enough exit routes (with redundancy) to get a lot of people out fast enough.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Yes, - like the ill-fated restaurant at Forton services near Lancaster. But if the TV Tower in Berlin can have a revolving restaurant, why not St John's Beacon in Liverpool?

[@uranusskies]

Brilliant mate, enjoyed that. 40 year strand tunnel made me laugh 😂 typical of the managed decline crew ….i mean the council …..to drag that out lol

[@AidanEyewitness]

Well it's part of a long term masterplan - it can take decades for development to unfold - like in Salford Quays, that started in the 80s and is still ongoing 40 years later! Many thanks

[@l33jcm]

More please!

[@AidanEyewitness]

Will do!

[@Everton-ww8qk]

Can you find out what’s happening with the , martins bank building , why it’s stalled please ?

[@AidanEyewitness]

I don't know, I presume there has been a problem. I was once invited to go inside the empty building, very impressive. Many thanks!

[@charbuka]

Another plus vote for the new format, enjoyed the bulletin style round-up 👍

[@AidanEyewitness]

Thanks for the vote of support. I quite like being a reporter and I can catch important announcements people might miss. The next one will be on Manchester.

[@nicebeevor]

Interesting piece, thank you Aidan. Liverpool has suffered from some very poor “placemaking”, but at least it seems to have escaped the Japanese knotweed of Simpson Haugh monsters that continues to spread out of control across central Manchester.

[@Roddersville]

That’s a matter of opinion.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Thanks - not heard Simpson Haugh's creations called that before. Probably my favourite example of placemaking is the Liverpool waterfront.

[@AidanEyewitness]

@@Roddersville That's true!

[@nicebeevor]

@@AidanEyewitness That’s just how it makes me feel as I drive down the Manky Way: an unsightly scourge, closing in around us, that we will never be rid of. 😣

[@johnburns4017]

@nicebeevor Liverpool's placemaking overall is poor for sure. The space in front of St.George's Hall should be all one pedestrianized square - obvious. The view of many is that Liverpool did all it could to get rid of open squares as the aim was to discourage massed gatherings. Clayton Square was obliterated.

[@sglenny001]

1:51 can i use that picture in one of my art projects im trying to make something that shows a new

[@AidanEyewitness]

Yes that would be great, but I would like to see the artwork! Can you reply with a link to the arrwork? 😃

[@sglenny001]

@AidanEyewitness thankyou I shall work on it soon enough

[@tulyar57]

Come on Aiden, keep up! Have you never heard Graham and the Placemakers 60s hit "Gehry 'cross the Mersey"? I'll get my coat.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Ah, that explains everything!

[@johnburns4017]

The tallest building in Liverpool _above sea level_ is the Anglican cathedral, towering over the rest dominating the city centre. St.Paul's in London is actually taller as it has a dome, rather than being one solid mass like in Liverpool. Even standing next to St.Paul's it never looks as big as at Liverpool. Liverpool is on an escarpment with three churches on its tip: the Iron church at Everton, Metropolitan Cathedral and the Anglican cathedral. This begs the question, why are no tall buildings built on the tip of the escarpment? Well apart from that ugly Anfield stadium which mophed its way up, but a little back from the tip thankfully.

[@AidanEyewitness]

That's a very good point. I used a few views from the top of the Anglican in this video.

[@frankward8336]

Since the Tate closed, not one workman has stepped inside. I doubt it will ever re-open. Now that the Maritime Museum is also closing 'for refurbishment' the Albert Dock is now just a commercial Mall for sucking money out of every visitor. Such a depressing experience now.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Well both the Tate and Maritime are officially under renovation, will they really never reopen? Many thanks for flagging this up, it's something I need to look into.

[@conistonoldman]

“Placemakers” ha, yes, another bit of built environment jargon. Although the Royal Town Planning Institute adopted some years ago the rather cumbersome strap line “makers of place, mediation of space” (or was it the other way round?), I don’t think it’s meant to apply solely to town planners (town and country planners, urban and regional planners, planners, idiots - call them what you will) but to all the different professions who shape the built environment (crikey, it’s impossible to avoid jargon altogether, especially if you’ve spent a lifetime steeped in it). The very fact that there are different professions, itself arguably an outdated concept, including planners, Architects, landscape architects, surveyors etc, doesn’t help and anything that attempts to better integrate their work is welcome. Of course, town planners have always claimed that their role was to integrate the work of the other professions!

[@AidanEyewitness]

Thanks, there speaks the voice of experience! Great insights!

[@simonspeechley2859]

Sounds like they want to emulate Bostons' Big Dig.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Very interesting. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Dig I think they did a project like that in Dallas too.

[@johnburns4017]

The Strand can be pedestrianized. Traffic can be diverted around the city centre. Most of the traffic is thru traffic anyhow, going from either side of the city centre. Needs to be done.

[@AidanEyewitness]

I think it would be difficult to divert the traffic, as it can't go through the centre and it can't go out over the river. It's a busy road with lots of traffic going back and forth. The Strand tunnel would have to go above the level of the Birkenhead Tunnel, not much headroom!

[@johnburns4017]

@@AidanEyewitness Ideally the Birkenhead road tunnel should be converted into a tram and/or Merseyrail tunnel - runs right into Wirral Waters. It was designed to have trams under the road deck. It will then not disgorge traffic into the city centre. North-south traffic can be diverted around the centre via Edge Hill. The Strand is clearly a rat run. How many of those drivers could have used the Merseyrail Northern Line, which is north-south crossrail? Make it easy for them, they will use the car.

[@AidanEyewitness]

@@johnburns4017 I didn't know it was designed for trams. All very interesting and food for thought! Thanks for all your comments!

[@johnburns4017]

@@AidanEyewitness Under the road deck it is largely empty. In later years a few _refuges_ were built under the road deck in case of emergencies. But these can be dug into the side rock of the lower part if it is used. The potential is enormous. There was suggestions to put Merseyrail under the deck and HS2 on the upper deck into an underground HS2/NPR station at Lime St or dig out the Liverpool end of the tunnel to create a station with a travelator to Lime St station and various entrances around the station. HS2 trains would approach Liverpool from Crewe via Chester, serving Chester. The line is pretty well straight from Chester to Birkenhead, with long curves from Crewe to Chester. The whole project from Crewe would not be that expensive, as HS2 costs go, as most is there. Also, the tunnel is well ventilated with many forced vent shafts.

[@Kai_clague]

why did you mention heswall?

[@AidanEyewitness]

Because Heswall is known to be an affluent area. I once went to visit a guy in Heswall who lived in a dream house, open plan, split level, hillside garden with rockery and pond, panoramic window looking out over fields, huge kitchen, four bedrooms, it definitely was a dream home. Have a look at these: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/Heswall.html

[@johnburns4017]

@@AidanEyewitness Raphael Benitez the ex Liverpool, Everton and Chelsea manager lives in West Kirby next to Heswall. He was Liverpool's manager then went to Italy managing Inter Milan, also back to Spain managing Real Madrid. He also went to London managing Chelsea. His Spanish wife stayed in West Kirby next to Heswall all this time refusing to move. She said she can't see anywhere better to live. Paul McCartney's family live mainly around Heswall. He also has a house there.

[@paultsworld]

@@johnburns4017just as a matter of interest - he doesn’t live in West Kirby. He lives in Caldy.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Very interesting thanks for the info!

[@johnburns4017]

@@paultsworld Caldy is in effect a part of West Kirby, as it all rolls into one. Many of the houses for sale in the link are at around £2 million. That is only what is for sale.

[@TheNation-y8k]

Still think its barmy not to add a station between Moorfields & Sandhills.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Well the issue is that the distance is not great and there are all kinds of technical and cost issues. Still, it seems to make sense to me, though the solution they opt for may be those glider buses.

[@johnburns4017]

@@AidanEyewitness Glider buses will cope with Everton's new stadium? Not in a million years. BTW the new owners take over in a matter of days. The stadium will be handed over to EFC in a few weeks. They voiced concerns that the stadium is far too small. Will it be delayed while the east stand is enlarged? Will Everton stay another season at Goodison Park? Also Man U could use the vacant GP while OT is rebuilt. They played home games there after WW2 as OT was bombed.

[@rosse6705]

​@AidanEyewitness obviously pockets are being filled with that majorly overpriced 100m train station at the baltic triangle. They could have put 20 of that to the side and built a train station in the location mentioned above. It doesn't have to be open every day ad that would slow the route down, but they could open it on weekends for games at BMD.

[@johnburns4017]

@@rosse6705 Everton would have to greatly contribute as they are the greatest benefactors. I cannot see them offering money. They are giving money to tart up Sandhills station a little. Sandhills, unless additional platforms are built and a new concourse, again will make little impact on a crowd at the poorly served stadium.

[@johnburns4017]

@@rosse6705 *£100 million?* Sounds like another HS2 scam.

[@craig4667]

Not a massive fan on “sinking the strand” 40 years of construction would be a waste of money just to pedestrianise a major road network. Imagine the traffic!

[@AidanEyewitness]

Yes, good point, that would have to be taken into account.

[@pippin9466]

I really think they need to make the new China town for the Chinese community and many immigrants are coming in from Hong Kong.

[@AidanEyewitness]

I think that will be the case, as it's close to Chinatown and it might be funded by Chinese or Hong Kong companies as are many projects in Manchester

[@pippin9466]

@@AidanEyewitness oh good

[@JSMCSUK]

They ruined the strand by taking away 3rd lane , with the corruption of Liverpool city council this will never happen absolute waste of money

[@AidanEyewitness]

It’s just a suggestion, not a definite plan. I think it’s unlikely to happen

[@davidbowie2046]

Love my City of Liverpool, but that monstrosity of a tower, I have always hated.

[@AidanEyewitness]

I think it's okay. What about the CN Tower in Toronto, the GPO or BT Tower in London and the various TV towers in different parts of Germany?

[@Amydarksoul-y7f]

Dude, this place is on its ass. So run down.

[@AidanEyewitness]

Don’t judge only by what you see in this video. Have you visited Liverpool recently. Come and see it with your own eyes. 😊

[@misstakenot9582]

This is a video about stalled projects, showing of necessity some run-down parts. It is not an overview of the whole city, so to make that judgement is misguided at best.

[@AidanEyewitness]

@@misstakenot9582Correct.

[@Roddersville]

Save some lovely city centre buildings and cathedrals, Liverpool is like Birmingham - not very pretty. Sorry.

[@ShadowCastPro]

Not sure if you've been to Liverpool.. it's absolutely nothing like Birmingham. It has an amazing wealth of buildings and unique architecture. I'd go to Liverpool and just walk around and enjoy it, I couldn't do that in Birmingham.

[@liamo8932]

The greater number of unspoilt victorian pubs in Liverpool and the waterfront set it apart from Birmingham. Completely different feel to the place

[@AidanEyewitness]

Berlin is not very pretty but it's still a fantastic city as are both Liverpool and Birmingham.

[@AidanEyewitness]

They are both different. I know Liverpool far better than Birmingham so I can't really compare.

[@paulmcdonough1093]

clueless

[@SteveStevens-sp7ly]

please no more crap music. ill find another video to watch. and give you a thumbs down.

[@AidanEyewitness]

@SteveStevens-sp7ly This comment is not very clear. What exactly do you want? No music at all or music that you personally find acceptable? In 4 years this is the first comment criticising the choice of music.

[@cmg1819]

I really like the music, thumbs up