As we all know, Liverpool's waterfront lost its UNESCO World Heritage Status in mid 2021. Prior to that time tall buildings did not form part of the skyline in the same way as they do in other major cities in the UK. The reason for this, in part, was because of the World Heritage Status. 

Now that the title has been rescinded, it seems only natural for tall buildings to grace the Liverpool Skyline and Liverpool City Council's Tall Buildings Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) certainly seems to pave the way. 

The SPD is to ensure that development reflects what Liverpool City Council wants to achieve in terms of how and where tall buildings are delivered in the city centre. The SPD, if adopted, will be used in conjunction with local plans to assist in determining planning applications. 

Despite the loss of the World Heritage Status, Liverpool's waterfront is still an important heritage hub which is loved by residents and tourists alike and so it is very positive to see that one of the 9 objectives of the SPD is to 'protect and enhance the heritage assets, their setting and views'. 

As someone who was born and raised in Liverpool, it's nice to see that the city will both continue to grow and regenerate much needed parts. Part of the waterfront, despite some beautiful buildings in situ, has been overlooked in the past and will now hopefully flourish and become an area targeted for sustainable development. I should mention that a few regeneration projects are currently being carried out on the waterfront, including the new Everton football ground at Bramley Moore Dock.

As a whole I think that the introduction of a tall buildings SPD would be good for Liverpool City Centre, provided that the beloved Liver Buildings remain a staple in the skyline.

Read more on tall buildings here.