Frenson Estate, Liverpool L1
CLIENT ADVISER
JENNIFER DIXON
1993 – ongoing
CLIENT
Frenson Limited
SERVICES PROVIDED
– inputs to local neighbourhood policy
– estate masterplan regeneration strategy
– advocacy
– inputs to business planning
– public realm strategy
– brief writing
– CPO support
Challenges
Why was a Client Adviser required?
The client acquired a portfolio of properties in the historic centre of Liverpool in the early 1990s, with a view to long term stewardship of a collection of predominantly listed building stock. Located in the centre of the historic ‘Ropewalks’ area, this dense urban quarter which incorporated part of Liverpool’s UNESCO world heritage site and 96 Listed Buildings, was in an advanced state of dereliction. A patient and forward thinking landowner was required to breathe new life back into a beautiful but seemingly unloved and untouchable part of the city.
Early strategies for initiating footfall were required to attract occupiers, requiring a range of measures including modest, affordable design interventions. As footfall and rental incomes grew, opportunities for creating value through design led initiatives increased, and briefs were developed for individual sites and larger land parcels. A design oriented client adviser was required to guide this early work, to represent the clients interests in emerging local planning initiatives, and to inform later more detailed implementation as sites were brought forward for development.
Outcomes
What value was created
Long before ‘carbon reduction’ became a mantra throughout the industry, Frenson took conscious steps to treat their existing urban fabric with sensitivity. Both at the scale of individual buildings and in their masterplan, existing site parameters were respected and the opportunity taken to breathe new life into existing structures, promoting renewal in order to allow for reuse. This has formed the bedrock of their sustainability strategy.
Jennifer led the design inputs to Frenson’s detailed response to Liverpool’s Ropewalks Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) which ensured that the key opportunities for change that were within Frenson’s ownership were managed sensitively to create a high quality, enduring and sustainable regeneration of the Ropewalks area.
Working with enlightened and tenacious land owners who had the vision to address the long term need to revitalise without wholesale demolition, Jennifer has supported a long term rengeneration process which continues today. Evidence shows how well this has succeeded - the intelligent retention of historic buildings has maintained the neighbourhood’s character and in turn attracted a wide variety of new tenants. The conversion of warehouses, factories and stables into mixed use offices, residences, and a hotel, and the creation of new and dynamic public spaces along the way, has transformed the area.
Use and tenant mix has been key to success, with design strategies an important factor in tenant attraction and retention. The individual projects in the portfolio have been designed and delivered to a high quality by a range of local Architects including Shed KM, Austin-Smith:Lord, Falconer Chester and Snook.
Testimonials
“….Jennifer has been architectural adviser to our in-house client team since 1993, and has been a constant source of support in our stewardship of this significant historic portfolio…”
