PLANS for a new Liverpool cruise liner terminal are closer to becoming a reality after a £20 million pledge from the City Region Combined Authority.

The £20 million will contribute to the construction of a new terminal building to replace the current temporary terminal on Princes Dock.

In 2017, Liverpool welcomed more than 60 vessels, with 120,000 passengers and crew, but city leaders believe its time to capitalise on the 'cruise boom' by creating a state of the art passenger and baggage facility.

Along with the terminal, there are also plans to include an adjoining hotel and multi-storey car park.

Currently, the terminal generates more than £7 million to Liverpool's economy but the new facility will allow the world's largest cruise ships to dock at the city and will generate more than 500 new jobs.

Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said: “The visitor economy is increasingly important to the whole of the Liverpool City Region – it grew by 66% between 2009 and 2017 and is now worth more than £4.5bn per year – and a new cruise liner terminal will help this vital sector continue to flourish.

“This is a unique project with the potential to boost the whole of the city region which is why as a Combined Authority we are pleased to be able to offer this substantial support to one of the city council’s flagship initiatives.”

The first phase of construction on the new terminal started in May this year, as site investigations were undertaken to understand the geology of the bedrock on which the new terminal complex will be constructed.

Councillor Phil Davies, the Combined Authority’s portfolio holder for Inclusive Growth, Economic Development, Digital and Innovation, said: “The visitor economy has become one of the major drivers for economic development in our city region and ensuring that we have a state-of-the-art cruise liner facility will help to build on that success.

“As well as directly creating more than 500 jobs, we know that attracting more visitors, in bigger ships, will give a boost not just to businesses in the city centre, but around the city region, indirectly creating additional jobs for local people across the supply chain.”

The main contract works will involve the construction of a suspended deck structure and the erection of a vehicle and pedestrian bridge / walkway to connect the new terminal to the existing landing stage.

Works to improve the existing landing stage, including modification of existing buildings such as the lower cruise terminal reception building, relocation of the building on the northern end of the pontoon and creation of ancillary buildings for storage and use by operational staff; improvements to Princes Parade to incorporate pedestrian crossing facilities, provision of terminal parking, pickup and drop off facilities, and supporting development.

Outline planning application for the new facility was approved by the city council's Planning Committee in April.

Site preparation at Princes Dock, in Peel Land and Property's £5.5bn Liverpool Waters scheme, is expected to start in October 2018 and Princes Jetty, which will be dismantled to make way for the new facility, has been gifted to the city council by Peel.