DCT opens doors to regeneration at the New Anfield Project

Stanley Park in north Liverpool separates Anfield and Goodison Park, the green space between the reds and the blues. The area is now undergoing an extensive regeneration programme, in advance of the building of Liverpool FC's new 60,000- seater stadium.

The Grade ll-listed Gladstone Pavilion, Hillsborough Lodge, the e_SFlbRose Walk, the bandstand, terracing and covered seating areas have all fallen victim to years of neglect, and will all benefit from being part of the New Anfield Project.

Built by city authorities in 1870, Stanley Park was to provide fresh air and exercise for the inner-city populace. Chris Lynes, information officer for Liverpool City Council's Parks & Environment Service, says that "people are now recognising that (need) again, and primary care trusts are actively becoming involved in parks because in terms of preventative medicine in physical and mental well being, parks are very significant. Arguably, doing something like this is cost effective!

"This park was designed following the public health acts of 1853 which allowed councils to build parks from their own capital and resources because the inner city was becoming such a dreadful place to live - riddled with cholera and diphtheria."

The park was on the edge of the countryside when it was built, although the city consumed it within a couple of years. "This was one of the four major 'lungs' of the city," Lynes continues, "along with Newsham Park, Sefton Park and Princes Park, where families could come at weekends.

"Stanley Park should be regarded as one of the greatest in the city - when it was first constructed, The Porcupine, [the local daily paper of the era] was critical about the design of the park, [saying] it was far too highly engineered and far too high quality for the artisans of north end of the city who didn't understand these things!"

Park liaison officer

DCT Civil Engineering, one of two main contractors on the project, has taken the unusual step of appointing a park liaison officer, to increase the involvement of the local community, schools, groups and individuals who want to see what's happening on their doorsteps. The man tasked with "dropping everything and showing them around" is Kevin McBride, taking a break from his 'day job' as DCT's general foreman.

"It's a big commitment to us as a firm," explains Ray Birch, DCT's project manager. "To put up a member of staff's time, we don't get that cash back, but it's part of our commitment to the community to get the message across of what we're trying to build here."

Currently showing around four tours a week, McBride explains that this increases as the work develops, and as the message gets out to community leaders that all are invited. e_SFlb"It gets better as the building gets e_SFlbmore glamorous - we will get e_SFlbmore then. If hundreds of people e_SFlbstart turning up, then we will take another view on it."

As well as the on-site work available for visitors to be shown by the park liaison officer, a fascinating glimpse of the original builders' lives can be seen. The discovery of 19th century newspapers, thought to have been buried during the pavilion's construction, included one delivered to a Mr Gregory on 20 October 1898, and many embossed bottles from local companies of that date. Previous restoration work carried out in the 1950s is also in evidence with the discovery of part of a 23 December 1957 Daily Mail.

Funding for the project has come from European Union Objective 1, the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, the North West Development Agency, and the Housing Market Renewal Initiative.

A large chunk of the budget will be spent on the Isla Gladstone Pavilion, named for the local artist and textile designer, famous for floral prints in the arts and crafts movement at the turn of last century. Isla Gladstone was a relative of William Gladstone, the Liverpool-born prime minister.

Built in 1899 of cast iron and glass, it was designed as a glasshouse in which to grow exotic tropical plants. With the exception of minor works in the 1950s and 1980s it has received no major renovations, resulting in such a state of dilapidation that it required total dismantling for renovation. Telford-based Eura Conservation was chosen for the delicate restoration.

Lack of specialists

McBride admits it was difficult to get the specialists required for this work. "It's been painstakingly taken down, almost 6,000 pieces, all numbered. They get a variety of treatment, some new pieces, some get restored, some get painted - they've all gone to a specialist in Telford, coming back around the end of June for reinstatement."

Until then, building is continuing on the new base and ground floor for the renewed pavilion. The steel frame currently visible has been built on the old pavilion's footprint, but further excavation will allow for underground facilities including a functions venue and café. The restored original pavilion will sit atop this.

Keen to limit the amount of spoil sent off-site, DCT found that most of the excavated sandstone can be reused. "The unusable material in the top 300mm to 400mm, then half a metre of an earth fill - probably a tenth of it - will have to leave the site as it can't be used for backfill," says McBride. "The entire area is sited on sandstone, and this [indicating the spoil heap we're standing on] is the sandstone that was excavated, which will be redistributed in the park."

Weathering has taken its toll on much of the sandstone block used throughout the park on lodges, bandstands and terraces. Lloyd & Smith Stonemasons, charged with their repair, are carrying out meticulous work in restoration of damaged areas, reusing existing material where possible, and lime mortars, sympathetic to the sandstone. For replacement pieces they called upon Lochabriggs Quarry in Dumfries to supply Red St Bees Sandstone, the best colour match.

Covered seating areas, known locally as the 'monkey houses', have suffered extensive damage from both pigeons and arsonists. Stone supporting columns are undergoing repairs, while the roofs need replacement timbers and slates.

Wrought iron bandstand

Close to the pavilion's new steelwork sits an intricately worked wrought iron bandstand, its repair start date delayed - caused again by limited numbers of specialist craftsmen. "That bandstand," says McBride, "there are only two or three companies capable of taking it down and rebuilding it! It's [Heritage Engineering of Carstairs] a Scottish company too - it's almost like the marketplace for anyone to do with anything specialist is all here!"

In addition to its commitment to opening the day-to-day workings of the regeneration project to the local community, DCT is also taking part in Positive Futures, a government-led social inclusion programme which tries to find training for young people who, for one reason or another, have become disenfranchised.

"We've taken on one [trainee] for about nine months to see how he settles, then we'll get him involved in formal training," explains McBride, adding that he is already settling in well.

Lynes is positive about the whole project. "Both the major contractors on site - particularly DTC - have taken ownership of the site, and involved very heavily the public, schools, and so on, which really wasn't part of their initial brief. It's been a pleasure working with the contractors.

"The timetable is very tight, they have some very detailed work to do on site, and in every case they have come up trumps. A wonderful working relationship."

Factfile

Project Name: Stanley Park Regeneration

Client: Liverpool City Council

Main Contractors: DCT Civil Engineering & P Casey

Specialist Sub-contractors: Lloyd & Smith Stonemasons Heritage Engineering

Architect: Lloyd Evans Pritchard

Value: £14m

Start/Finish Dates: November 2007 - January 2009