Liverpool City Council has started hunting for a contractor to build its new £50 million cruise terminal on the River Mersey.

The deal is a two-stage contract award basis, with the first stage to develop the design and confirm the construction costs with consultancy firm Ramboll UK. It is expected to be awarded in March 2018.

In addition, tenders are being assessed for site investigation works needed at the Princes Jetty site, with the works expected to start in January 2018.

The council has also submitted plans for the controlled removal of Princes Jetty and the construction of a new terminal set within a statement building, based on a new suspended deck structure in the river.

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Features will include a modern passenger and baggage facility, complete with passport control, lounge, café, toilets, taxi rank and vehicle pick up point. Further planning applications could potentially include a new 200 room hotel and 1,700+ multi-storey car park.

The application will go before the council's Planning Committee in January 2018. If approved, site preparation at Princes Dock will start in spring 2018.

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: "A new cruise facility is one of the city's most important regeneration projects of this decade and is vital to growing Liverpool's tourism economy.

"We want to provide the next generation of super liners and their passengers a world class welcome with a five star experience.

"A new cruise facility will also be a huge boost to our plans to regenerate the North Liverpool docklands and create thousands of new jobs which is why we're putting together the best team of experts to ensure we build this facility to the very highest standards."

(LM/CD)