Ian Ford, planner, Arup Rising Star
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A century ago the waterfront was what made Liverpool Liverpool, and I think using that to our advantage and using that history to build back the waterfront is vital for the city.
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development at the Exhibition Centre that I worked on, although smaller, helped give me a lot of skills and information and that will carry over to Liverpool Waters.” The fact Arup has announced Ford’s appointment is a good sign for those who may be sceptical about when the project will begin to take shape. He adds: “My employment won’t act as a catalyst, but the fact I have been employed more or less to work towards Liverpool Waters means it is obviously going to get going soon. We want to show we are doing work. There is a lot of scepticism, so we are very excited and keen to start straight away.” Looking ahead, Ford says Liverpool Waters will take up a large amount of his time, but it is a
challenge he is looking forward to. “It is exciting and daunting. It’s something that gives me motivation. Everybody would like to work on massive projects. We got outline planning permission last year which I wasn’t a part of, but now I’ll be working with my colleague Paul Grover on pulling the reserved matters from the outline and putting in full applications.” The Liverpool Waters application has been made in five stages and although the planning team at Arup will be working on all five at once, a small number of projects will take precedence over the next five years to get the scheme started. Ford says: “That includes organising it all and making sure that it isn’t just about putting a
building there, it’s making sure the quality of place is there. It’s about making sure that we are working on the master planning, making sure the client is aware of good place making, good planning and making sure that a legacy is left for now and for the future.” Liverpool Waters is essential for the city’s long term prosperity, something Arup will be focusing on as a sponsor of the upcoming International Festival for Business (IFB) 2014, insists Ford. “I’ve always thought that if this was in Manchester it would be a great project but I feel I am more passionate because it is in Liverpool. A century ago the waterfront was what made Liverpool Liverpool, and I think using that to our advantage and
using that history to build back the waterfront is vital for the city. I feel that is coming already with the IFB in June. It will promote Liverpool Waters as well as the city.” As the Liverpool Waters project nears, Ford also has ambitions to work abroad in future, combining the love of travel with his experience of the built environment. When asked about his future plans, he says: “I’d be happy to work within the UK but it adds that little bit more excitement if you’re in a new country, with new cultures and with Arup there are opportunities for that. I do want to travel the world, work the world, and make my mark on a new country.”
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