Physical infrastructure & sustainability

This theme considers both the interrelation between ECoC and the ongoing major physical regeneration projects of the city, and the way in which Liverpool 08 seeks to mitigate the potential negative environmental impacts of tourism growth.

Sub-themes include impacts on the public realm, the heritage environment, quality and type of the physical infrastructure of culture (built environment, venues, parks, public art), physical access issues (transport, parking etc), and the environmental sustainability of the programme. Most of the analysis in this area uses secondary data and will be reported in the indicators and final reports.

Experience of the public realm (Look of the City programme)

This project assesses the impact of key identified elements of the Look of the City programme on perceptions of the city and the ECoC 2008 using a variety of methods. We've assessed both the role of Look of the City as a branding device for the ECoC (image impact) and changes in perceptions of the city / specific urban environments (physical impact), observing levels of impact on both local and visitor perceptions of the city and the ECoC.

Available reports:

• The Look of the City: the impact of the Liverpool European Capital of Culture on the city's public realm (2010)

Impact on physical infrastructure investment

The aim of this project is to ascertain the impact that Capital of Culture designation and the year of culture itself) has had upon the developer market in Liverpool, according to commentators from within the sector. These findings will be used in later research to inform disaggregation of the relative impact of the Liverpool ECoC from the ongoing development being carried out in the city, and broader economic growth in the city.

Available reports:

• European Capital of Culture and Liverpool’s Developer Market: Impacts and Interactions