A YEAR OF PROGRESS

The massive Mersey projects that will change the face of our region in 2026

- By LIAM THORP

MERSEYSIDE is an exciting and ever-evolving region. At any one time, there are plans and proposals looking to reshape and redesign the places where we live, work and play and 2026 will be no different.

Whether it is grand ambitions to completely reshape Liverpool city centre, a vision to transform Bootle or ongoing plans to regenerate the Wirral coastline - there are so many huge projects that we can expect to see major progress on across this new year that we now find ourselves in.

The ECHO has taken a closer look at seven of the key projects looking to reimagine this fine region of ours and how things could start to take shape in 2026.

Ask anyone in and around Liverpool's corridors of power what developments they are most excited about and the King Edward Triangle plans will almost certainly be mentioned.

This is a £1 billion scheme that could change the face of the city's waterfront, with nearly 3,000 new homes and 400 hotel rooms created in a cluster of skyscrapers on land known as the King Edward Triangle, close to The Strand.

The land has been bought by KEIE, part of the TJ Morris group which owns Home Bargains. They are working on the huge project with Beetham, who built the 40-floor West Tower. The transformational plans promise to create a 5-star hotel as part of a 60-storey building that will be the tallest in the city. There is also a vision for a new events arena to be created.

The plans moved forward considerably in 2025, with the first planning application submitted for the site - for a 28-storey building - and further plans submitted to demolish a collection of unlisted buildings around the northern boundary of the site.

Liverpool Council's cabinet also signed off on the sale of land at Great Howard Street as part of the scheme. Expect more detailed plans to come forward in 2026.

Liverpool's creative and filming sectors have boomed in recent years.