Sea Change?
The role of transformational infrastructure –
a case study and observations
Dave Trimingham
27June 2014
“Without adequate 21st century infrastructure
these northern cities will have little chance of
competing not just with London but with other
cities around the world in the global economic
race”
Peter Hall, David Thrower & Ian Wray
Town and Country Planning: April 2014
Overview
Case study
• Liverpool 2 in context
• Implications for UK logistics
• Implications for Liverpool
Observations
• Nationally significant
infrastructure
• Regional and local infrastructure
• Responsibilities and process
Liverpool 2 in context:
where is it?
• Port of Liverpool, Seaforth
• ‘In-river’ Mersey
• Central position within the UK
Liverpool 2 in context:
what is it?
•
Two new in-river berths
•
State of the art rail mounted cranes
•
Doubles container capacity at Port of
Liverpool
•
£300m+ investment: supported by EIB and
RGF
•
4,600 jobs created
Liverpool 2 in context:
Global Shipping
•
Changes in supply and demand
•
Rising fuel prices and emission controls
•
Drivers to larger vessels –
- Panamax - 5,000 TEUs
- ‘Post-Panamax’ - 13,000 TEUs
•
Routes limited by capacity of
infrastructure
Panama Canal Widening
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Expanding Atlantic entrance
New Atlantic approach channel
Atlantic Post-Panamax locks
Raise the water level of Gatun lake
Widening and deepening of the
navigational channel
New Pacific approach channel
Pacific Post-Panamax locks
Expanding Pacific entrance
Global Shipping Routes
Implications for
Port of Liverpool
•
New deep sea port in centre of UK
•
Reduced unit cost of transit
•
Point of entry closer to markets
•
Only deep sea port on UK west
coast
•
Major new markets available
•
Rejuvenation of Liverpool’s port
heritage
Growth potential
•
Global container demand rising – 18%
2013-2016
•
UK container imports forecast to rise
•
UK manufacturing exports rising
•
Distance and journey times to L2
favourable
•
Liverpool has unique advantage
Manchester Ship Canal
•
36km inland waterway to heart
of Manchester
•
Built in competition – now
complementary
•
Coastal vessels and barges to
tri-modal Port Salford
•
1.5million square foot portcentric logistics
•
Expansion potential to 5 million
square foot
•
Significant further potential in
multi-modal sites along MSC
Logistics – The Golden Triangle
A new model – Port-Centric Distribution
L2 port-centric benefits
Shipping
• Three times larger vessels – efficiency
savings
At port
• State of the art handling and stock
control
• Fewer environmental impacts
On transit routes
• Shorter road journeys
• Reduced road traffic
L2 conclusions
•
Driver of transformation of UK logistics
•
Move away from road to water and rail
•
Complemented by port-centric logistics
facilities
•
Significant investment and job creation
•
Catalyst to further regeneration and
growth
Planning for
infrastructure
• L2 illustrates national and local
dimensions
• Varied procedures for components
of scheme
• Across multiple local authorities
• Planned through Regional Strategy
Planning for future
infrastructure
•
If nationally significant, considered
against NPS
•
Others considered against local plans
•
Regional co-ordination removed
•
Is duty to co-operate enough?
•
No clear process of planning for
infrastructure
•
Emergence of other policy tools (even
Neighbourhood Planning)
Concluding remarks
• Infrastructure development can be
transformational
• Co-ordinated approach and long term
planning are essential
• Development plan system is
capable… but lacks strategic
perspective
• Duty to co-operate not up to the job
• Infrastructure at least demands
regional (if not national) perspective
Observations on infrastructure planning
Working well:
Do better:
• NSIP process – once
proposals identified
• Infrastructure delivery plans –
essential local and social
infrastructure
• NIP – where needs already
identified
• Prioritising opportunities
• Identifying sectors/projects that
could deliver growth
• Clear responsibility:
Government/market and
between departments
• Consideration in spatial
planning
For discussion
How is growth potential best
identified?
How are infrastructure priorities
best dealt with through
development plan?
• Centrally? Which department?
• Regionally? Apparatus has
gone
• Market led? How resolve
conflicts?
• Sectoral approach –
public/private
• Forward looking national plan?
• Regional priorities as evidence
base? ‘Duty to Co-operate
Plus’
• Sectoral priority/action plans?
Development Plan status?
“It needs to be emphasised that … no-one is
currently thinking or planning on this scale”
Peter Hall, David Thrower & Ian Wray
Town and Country Planning: April 2104