Referral of the proposed subsidy to Liverpool Waters Finance Limited and Peel L&P Developments Limited for Liverpool Central Docks by Homes England
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-14)

The Subsidy Advice Unit (SAU) has published a report providing advice to Homes England concerning its proposed subsidy to Liverpool Waters Finance Limited and Peel L&P Developments Limited for Liverpool Central Docks.

Administrative timetable

Final report

14 January 2025: The SAU has published its report providing advice to Homes England concerning the proposed subsidy to Liverpool Waters Finance Limited and Peel L&P Developments Limited for Liverpool Central Docks. The report sets out the SAU’s evaluation of Homes England’s Assessment of Compliance of its proposed subsidy with the requirements set out in the Subsidy Control Act 2022.
- Final report (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-on-the-proposed-subsidy-to-waters-finance-limited-and-peel-lp-developments-limited-for-liverpool-central-docks) (14.1.25)
Request from Homes England

27 November 2024: The SAU has accepted a request for a report from Homes England concerning its proposed subsidy to Liverpool Waters Finance Limited and Peel L&P Developments Limited for Liverpool Central Docks. This request relates to a Subsidy of Particular Interest.

The SAU will prepare a report, which will provide an evaluation of Homes England’s assessment of whether the scheme complies with the subsidy control requirements (Assessment of Compliance). The SAU will complete its report within 30 working days.

Information about the subsidy provided by Homes England

Homes England is proposing to provide £55.28 million from its Brownfield Infrastructure and Land (BIL) grant funding to Liverpool Waters Finance Limited and Peel L&P Developments Limited (both subsidiaries of Peel L&P Holdings (UK) Limited).

The funding will be used for site wide groundworks and remediation, raising site levels to mitigate against flood risk, highways and road improvements, and delivery of a new Central Park and high-quality public realm. The land is wholly owned by Peel L&P Developments Limited, and these works will support the creation of serviced development plots to attract investment from developers who will deliver the scheme over a period of 10-15 years. Funding will be available against agreed infrastructure costs from November 2024 until March 2027.

Central Docks is the next phase of the strategic Liverpool Waters regeneration initiative, that will see the transformation of historic dockland spanning 2.3km in length from the iconic Pier Head to the new Everton Stadium at Bramley Moore Dock. Central Docks will deliver 2,350 homes along with office, retail, leisure, and hotel facilities, that will redevelop 10 hectares of infilled former docks into a thriving, inclusive, and sustainable waterfront neighbourhood and community. Due to the legacy of its past maritime and industrial uses, the potential of this project will not be realised without public intervention.

Homes England considers that the subsidy in this case is necessary to resolve market failures and unlock a policy objective to regenerate brownfield land and increase housing supply in the area. The proposed subsidy exceeds £10 million and therefore qualifies as a ‘Subsidy of Particular Interest’ (SoPI) under the UK Subsidy Control Regime.

Information for third parties

If you wish to comment on matters relevant to the SAU’s evaluation of the Assessment of Compliance concerning the Homes England’s proposed subsidy for Liverpool Central Docks, please send your comments before 5pm on the date stipulated in the timetable above. For guidance on representations relevant to the Assessment of Compliance, see the section on reporting period and transparency in the Operation of the subsidy control functions of the Subsidy Advice Unit (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-the-operation-of-the-subsidy-control-functions-of-the-subsidy-advice-unit/operation-of-the-subsidy-control-functions-of-the-subsidy-advice-unit).

Please send your submissions to the public authority xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Please also provide a contact address and explain in what capacity you are making the submission (for example, as an individual or a representative of a business or organisation).

Notes to third parties wishing to make a submission

The SAU will only take your submission into account if it can be shared with Homes England. The SAU will send a copy of your submission to Homes England together with its report. This is to allow the public authority to take account of the submission in its decision as to whether to make or modify the scheme or its assessment. We therefore ask that you provide express consent for your full and unredacted submission to be shared. We also encourage you to share your submission directly with Homes England using the email address provided above.

The SAU may use the information you provide in its published report. Therefore, you should indicate in your submission whether any specified parts of it are commercially confidential. If the SAU wishes to refer in its published report to material identified as confidential, it will contact you in advance.

For further details on confidentiality of third party submissions, see identifying confidential information in the Operation of the subsidy control functions of the Subsidy Advice Unit (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-the-operation-of-the-subsidy-control-functions-of-the-subsidy-advice-unit/operation-of-the-subsidy-control-functions-of-the-subsidy-advice-unit).

Contact
- CMA Press team: xx-xxxx-xxxx or xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)