Liverpool City Council members yesterday supported Langtree McLean’s planning application to redevelop the former International Garden Festival site in Liverpool, following a committee meeting at the Town Hall in Liverpool.

The development will see the City’s first public park in 25 years, and allow local people to enjoy the site’s gardens and the fully restored Oriental Gardens in time for Liverpool’s year in the spotlight in 2008. The plans also include the development of 1,300 new homes on the site of the former Dome.

John Downes, managing director for Langtree Group plc, part of the joint venture with David McLean Developments says of today’s decision: “This is fantastic news, we are so pleased that we can now carry out our plans to transform the former International Garden Festival site, which has been derelict for over 20 years. We now have an opportunity to show the people of Liverpool, and the wider North West community, the potential that the site has as an open public space, leading through the restored Oriental Gardens and down to the Mersey waterfront.”

David Rolinson, Planning Manager for Langtree McLean says: “We couldn’t have received better news today. This is the result of three years of careful planning in order to get this scheme absolutely right. The site has acted as a barrier between the people of Liverpool and the waterfront for too long and following today’s decision, we now move forward on the project and open it up to the public again.”