§ 68. Mr. DayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by Merseyside urban development corporation in regenerating the urban development corporation area.
§ Mr. TrippierIn 1981 the Merseyside development corporation was charged with the regeneration of 865 acres of derelict and disused docklands. Progress has been spectacular: 380 acres of land have been reclaimed; 1.5 million sq ft of buildings have been refurbished including the Albert dock, the largest collection of grade 1 listed buildings in the country. Factory units have been provided in Bootle and in particular at the Brunswick business park in the south docks where 500,000 sq ft has been let. Over 1,600 jobs have been created, 1,100 safeguarded and another 1,000 jobs provided on construction and related projects. Two hundred and forty residential flats are being provided by refurbishment and conversion schemes in partnership with the private sector at Albert dock and Wapping warehouse, another historic listed building. £47 million of private sector investment has been secured with another £67 million in the pipeline. In seven years MDC has transformed its area and the Secretary of State's announcement on 7 March to extend the designated area will enable a larger area of Liverpool and Wirral to benefit from MDC's direct and determined approach.