Ion Development announces that Lime Street, its £39 million mixed-use development in Liverpool, hit an important construction milestone in reaching its full height which was marked with a topping out ceremony led by the scheme’s building contractor, ISG.

Further to groundbreaking in September last year, construction of the scheme continues to make good progress in delivering the city a new landmark development of mixed leisure, including over 28,000 square foot of retail and leisure space, a 412-bed student block and a 101-room Premier Inn hotel.

Work has been underway erecting a 1,300-tonne steel frame to create the 11-storeys of student accommodation and a three-storey hotel. The team worked with Billingtons to source 100% British steel for the development.

To mark the topping out, attendees signed a canvas print of the images which will become the façade of the building – a quantum timeline of Lime Street’s illustrious history as portrayed by renowned Liverpool artist Anthony Brown.

Attendees included Liverpool City Council’s Deputy Mayor, Anne O’Byrne, Ion’s managing director, Steve Parry, Curlew Capital’s head of investment management, Ian Scott and ISG’s regional director, Paul Munro.

Councillor Ann O’Byrne, Deputy Mayor of Liverpool, said: ‘Lime Street is the first impression of Liverpool for thousands of visitors every day, so it’s great to see this landmark scheme by Ion taking shape and adding much needed vibrancy to this vital corridor. Once complete, as well as creating jobs, it will also provide a great foundation for the work the City Council will undertake to remodel the northern end of Lime Street and for the future developments at the southern end connecting to the Knowledge Quarter gateway.’

Steve Parry, managing director at Ion, said: ‘This is a welcome moment in the timeline of this iconic development, which will bring leisure and retail back to this once thriving street. It is from this point forward that the scheme will really start to come to life and we will see the re-emergence of Lime Street as an important part of the City’s cultural identity’

Paul Munro, regional director for ISG, said: ‘It has been an outstanding collaborative effort working alongside Ion Developments to bring the vision for Lime Street to life. This street is the gateway to the City and it is the perfect moment to bring together the project partners and celebrate what we have achieved together so far.’

PHOTO –  From left: Steve Parry (Ion), Claire Slinger (Liverpool City Council), Paul Munro (ISG), Ian Scott (Curlew) and Deputy Mayor of Liverpool, Ann O’Byrne