OS grid SJ336908 Width at entrance 45 ft (14 m) Area 4 ha | Type Wet dock Opened 1821 | |
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Prince's Dock is a dock on the River Mersey, England, and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is the most southerly of the docks situated in the northern part of the Liverpool dock system, connected to Prince's Half-Tide Dock to the north. The dock is now in the buffer zone to one of Liverpool's World Heritage Sites.
Contents
Map of Princes Dock, 1 William Jessop Way, Liverpool L3 1DZ, UK
History
Initially, William Jessop and John Rennie were consulted about the plans for the dock. The dock was built by John Foster, with construction starting around 1810. During the construction, Foster ordered many times more stone than was needed. Allegedly, Foster diverted it to his family's building company. He resigned when this was discovered.
The dock was named for the Prince Regent. Still unfinished, it opened on the day of the Prince Regent's coronation as George IV in 1821. Access to the southern half of the dock system was via George's Basin, George's Dock and into Canning Dock. In 1874 George's Basin was filled, and in 1899 George's Dock was filled and the site used to create what is now the Pier Head.
On 12 June 1895 Liverpool Riverside Station was opened, situated between Prince's Dock and the River Mersey.
In 1968 B&I Line (operator of the Liverpool - Dublin service) commenced a new car ferry service from Carriers' Dock further downriver. A passenger only service continued to use Prince's Dock until 1969.
Ferry services from Prince's Dock finally ended in November 1981 when P&O Ferries closed their Liverpool - Belfast overnight service. The dock subsequently closed to shipping and was partly filled.
Redevelopment
Commercial redevelopment began when the dock was passed to the Merseyside Development Corporation in 1988. Much of Prince's Dock's wharfage and warehouse space has been replaced by:
The dock was partially filled in to inland canal boat depths precluding deep water vessels. The dock has been divided into two sections spanned by a pedestrian bridge that was designed by the Liverpool John Moores University Centre for Architectural Research and Consultancy Unit (CARCU).
By March 2009 work was completed on a £22 million extension of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, providing a further 1.4 miles of navigable waterway. A new lock and fixed bridge was built at the northern end of Prince's Dock. At the south end of the dock, a new canal tunnel was constructed which leads to the Pier Head. The tunnel is routed beneath St. Nicholas Place and the access road for the new cruise liner facility. From Prince's Dock, the extension passes the Pier Head and terminates at Canning Dock.
In 2007, planning permission was secured for the £130million New World Square. This was to have incorporated an eight storey, five-star hotel, 385 apartments and space for shops and restaurants. However, planning permission for this development expired in 2010.
In 2016, planning permission was granted for the 34-storey Lexington Liverpool.