Emily Spurrell has officially handed over the keys for Canning Place to the Government’s housing and regeneration agency Homes England following the sale of the site for £17 million, ending its long policing history and opening the door for a major new redevelopment.

Homes England will now move to appoint a consultant team and carry out stakeholder and public engagement, building on Merseyside Police’s work to date to form a “clear regeneration strategy that responds to local need”.

Plans for a “high-quality, mixed-use residential-led development” scheme are likely to include new homes, a hotel, shops, leisure facilities and areas of open space.

The site was on the open market for nine weeks and drew strong developer interest, with 13 bids received.

Homes England was chosen as the successful bidder following a detailed assessment of the bids based on a scoring matrix which had nine criteria, including the value of the tender, the quality of the design, social value, the experience and strength of the team delivering the development and environmental and sustainability considerations.

The money recouped from the sale of Canning Place will be reinvested into modernising and updating Merseyside Police’s stations and buildings as part of the Commissioner’s 12-year Estate Strategy.

Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell says: “Completing the sale of Canning Place is a hugely significant moment. The site was part of Merseyside Police’s story for more than 40 years, but it was no longer suitable for a modern, forward-looking police service.

“This sale allows us to take the right steps to reinvest a substantial amount back into our policing estate – delivering on my commitment to provide fit‑for‑purpose stations and facilities that support our officers, PCSOs and staff to do their jobs effectively and put our communities first.

“Canning Place sits in one of the most important locations on Liverpool’s iconic waterfront, and Homes England’s involvement will bring fresh energy, new opportunities and a vibrant new neighbourhood. This marks the start of an exciting transformation for the site and the city.”

Danielle Gillespie, executive regional director (North West) at Homes England, adds: “Canning Place is an exceptional site right at the heart of Liverpool’s iconic waterfront, and we are pleased to complete this important acquisition. It is a great example of how, in line with the established Strategic Place Partnership between Homes England and Mayor Rotheram, the public sector can work together to unlock the redevelopment of public sector assets to boost housing and regeneration.

“We are pleased that the deal with the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner will enable further investment in their estate locally and we look forward to working with Liverpool City Council and key stakeholders as we bring this exciting project forward.”

Canning Place, which first opened its doors in 1977 and acted as Merseyside Police’s headquarters for more than 40 years, is positioned in a prime location just a stone’s throw from the city’s famous waterfront, facing the Albert Dock, and next to Paradise Street bus station and Liverpool ONE.

The site includes the former seven-floor headquarters building which is more than 135,000 sq ft, an annex, car park and gatehouse.

Merseyside Police’s new headquarters, Rose Hill, just off Scotland Road, was officially opened in March 2022. Since then, Canning Place has been used to house various police teams, while refurbishments to other stations took place. It was also used as a base for significant policing operations, including Eurovision in May 2023.

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