Key Points
- VINCI Construction has been appointed as the design and build partner for the first £55m phase of the Liverpool Pall Mall scheme by joint developers Liverpool City Council and Kier Property.
- The first phase will deliver 111,500 sq ft of new Grade A office space, ground-floor retail, and a 0.5-hectare urban park, known as Pall Mall Gardens.
- This marks the first Grade A office development in Liverpool’s commercial district in more than 15 years, addressing a long shortage of high-quality workspace
- The wider Pall Mall masterplan remains a £200m, multi-phase project expected to deliver up to 400,000 sq ft of office space, a 280-bed hotel, and significant public realm improvements
- Construction of the first phase is targeted to complete by summer 2028, with groundwork already progressing on site.
- The project is supported by grant funding, including a £15m government investment and earlier remediation work funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
- Economic impact research estimates the full scheme could create up to 2,400 permanent jobs and generate £146m of net additional GVA per annum at the Liverpool City Region level.
- VINCI’s appointment follows completion of updated RIBA Stage 3 design work and planning approval for the first phase.
- The development reimagines the historic Pall Mall area, replacing former Bixteth Gardens with a new high-quality green space integrated into a modern business neighbourhood.
- Liverpool City Council describes the investment as strategically significant regeneration aimed at stimulating inward investment and business growth in the city centre.
Liverpool (Liverpool standard) July 01, 2026 – VINCI Construction has been officially chosen as the design and build partner for the first £55m phase of the Liverpool Pall Mall scheme, a major regeneration project in the heart of Liverpool’s commercial district. The appointment was announced jointly by Liverpool City Council and Kier Property, the developers working in partnership to deliver the scheme.
- Key Points
- Inverted Pyramid of the News
- Why Is This Development Important for Liverpool’s Commercial District?
- What Does VINCI’s Role Mean for the Construction and Design of the Scheme?
- When Is Construction Expected to Start and Finish?
- How Has the Project Evolved Since Earlier Plans Were First Announced?
- Background: The Development of the Pall Mall Scheme
- Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Liverpool Businesses, Workers and Residents
- How Might the Wider Scheme Influence Jobs and the Local Economy?
As reported by the Construction Enquirer, the joint developers Liverpool City Council and Kier Property have chosen VINCI Construction as the design and build partner for the first £55m phase of the project. This first phase is set to include a new eight-story office building, alongside a reimagined urban park known as Pall Mall Gardens, which will provide a 0.5-hectare green space for workers, residents and visitors.liverpoolecho.
Inverted Pyramid of the News
The most critical fact is that VINCI Construction has secured the contract to deliver the first phase of the £55m Pall Mall development, bringing together a new Grade A office building and a purpose-built urban park.
The second most important detail is that this phase will provide 111,500 sq ft of new office space, with ground-floor retail and leisure units, and is planned to complete by summer 2028.
The third key point is that the appointment marks a significant step forward for a wider £200m, multi-phase masterplan that aims to deliver up to 400,000 sq ft of Grade A office space, a 280-bed hotel and substantial public realm improvements in Liverpool’s commercial district.
Why Is This Development Important for Liverpool’s Commercial District?
The Pall Mall scheme is being described by Liverpool City Council and its partners as a catalyst for regeneration in the city’s commercial district. As reported by the Liverpool Echo, the development plans to create the first Grade A office spaces in Liverpool for more than 15 years, addressing a widely recognised shortage of high-quality workspace in the city centre.
Liverpool City Council has emphasised that the project is designed to facilitate “strategically significant regeneration” and foster economic progress in the city centre, supported by grant funding that underlines its importance to the city’s long-term growth strategy. The wider scheme is expected to act as a catalyst for further inward investment and job creation across the Liverpool City Region.
The first phase will deliver 111,500 sq ft of new Grade A office space, with flexible workspaces, a business lounge, meeting rooms and leisure amenities designed to meet contemporary workplace expectations. Ground-floor retail and leisure units will provide additional services for building users and the wider public.
Across the full multi-phase project, the masterplan envisions up to 400,000 sq ft of new office space, complemented by a 280-bedroom hotel and extensive landscaped public realm, including a central green space that will be accessible at all times.harlexproperty.
What Does VINCI’s Role Mean for the Construction and Design of the Scheme?
VINCI Construction’s appointment as design and build partner means the company will be responsible for integrating the design and construction of the first phase, aligning the office building, retail elements and the new urban park into a single, coordinated delivery. This approach is intended to streamline decision-making and reduce the risk of delays between design and construction.
The project has already achieved updated RIBA Stage 3 design completion, with the One Pall Mall Gardens section reimagined to align with modern workplace needs, including flexible layouts and a range of on-site amenities. VINCI will now work from this design to deliver the physical construction of the phase, with groundwork already progressing on site.liverpoolecho.
When Is Construction Expected to Start and Finish?
Council officials have indicated that groundwork is expected to begin in autumn 2026, with the first phase including the eight-story office building and urban park planned to be completed by summer 2028. This schedule reflects both the initial civil and landscape work and the subsequent construction of the office building itself.
The wider Pall Mall development, if all phases proceed as planned, could extend into the 2030s, given the scale of the masterplan and the need to deliver multiple buildings, a hotel and extensive public realm over time.
How Has the Project Evolved Since Earlier Plans Were First Announced?
The Pall Mall site, located between Pall Mall and Bixteth Street, was originally home to Bixteth Gardens, a popular green space that was fenced off in 2019 amid plans for a new office development that later stalled. The site was then remediated in 2020, with substation relocation and enabling works funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.lbndaily.co+1
Over the years, the scheme has been rebranded and refined, moving from an initial “Pall Mall Exchange” concept to the current “Pall Mall Gardens” vision, which places greater emphasis on a high-quality urban park as a central feature rather than just an accessory to the office blocks. The latest RIBA Stage 3 update has further modernised the design to reflect current workplace trends and amenity expectations.
Background: The Development of the Pall Mall Scheme
The Pall Mall scheme originated as a joint venture between Liverpool City Council, Kier Property Developments Ltd and CTP Limited, with an initial masterplan for a £200m mixed-use development delivering around 400,000 sq ft of Grade A office space, a 280-bed hotel and significant public realm. The 1.2-hectare site was identified as a natural expansion of Liverpool’s commercial district and a key element of the Council’s emerging Spatial Regeneration Framework for the area.
After the site was cleared and remediated, and following a £15m government investment secured in 2025, the project was repositioned as a phased development, with the first £55m phase focusing on one office building and a new urban park. Liverpool City Council has repeatedly described the investment as critical to stimulating the scheme and the city’s overall office supply, aiming to reverse the long decline in high-quality commercial space in the city centre.thebusinessdes.
Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Liverpool Businesses, Workers and Residents
The completion of the first Pall Mall phase by summer 2028 is likely to have a direct impact on businesses seeking Grade A office space in Liverpool. Firms that have previously been forced to look outside the city centre or accept older stock may find new, modern workspace available close to Merseyrail connections and other city-centre amenities, potentially encouraging inward investment and expansion.pallmallliver.
For workers, the new office building and associated amenities could offer improved working environments, with flexible layouts, business lounges and leisure facilities designed to meet contemporary expectations. The adjacent urban park will also provide a new green space in a part of the city centre that has lacked accessible public green areas for several years, benefiting both office users and local residents.lbndaily.
How Might the Wider Scheme Influence Jobs and the Local Economy?
If the full multi-phase Pall Mall development proceeds as planned, research commissioned by the original joint venture estimated that the completed scheme could create up to 2,400 permanent jobs and generate £146m of net additional GVA per annum at the Liverpool City Region level. Even if the delivery is stretched over a longer period, the initial phase alone is expected to act as a catalyst for further regeneration, potentially encouraging additional private investment in the surrounding streets and buildings.pallmallliverpool+1
For the local economy, the combination of new office space, a hotel, retail and leisure facilities is likely to increase footfall in the commercial district, supporting existing businesses and creating opportunities for new ones. The presence of a high-quality urban park may also enhance the attractiveness of the area for both businesses and visitors, contributing to a more vibrant and sustainable city centre environment over the coming decade.
