Plans lodged for £30m Tate Liverpool revamp
Proposals to renovate the Tate Liverpool gallery have been submitted to councillors, which could see the gallery undergo a number of changes to improve access and visitor journeys.
The £30m plans, submitted by The Planning Lab in collaboration with 6a Architects, include the creation of a new public art hall and improvements to the existing visitor facilities.
Upgrades to the galleries, the repurposing of back of house space for public use, and more intuitive wayfinding for visitors are also listed in the planning documents.
The Planning Lab said it was aiming to improve site visibility to other parts of the city centre.
The proposals for the 129,167 sq ft gallery require both listed building consent and planning permission, and extend beyond the Tate’s boundaries to include public realm works for water source heat pumps.
The Planning Lab said the proposals are needed as the venue is no longer “fit for purpose”. It cited the amount of annual visitors at to the gallery, which has risen to 700,000 a year. This was compared to 200,000 per year when it first opened in 1988.
It added that “a comprehensive refurbishment” of the Grade I listed site is needed to ensure that Liverpool and the North of England continue to have a “world class offer”.
The group also said that the site must improve its energy efficiency to address Tate’s pledge to tackle climate change, and that upgrades are required to ensure the gallery’s financial stability.
Tate Liverpool is based in a set of former Victorian cargo warehouses in Liverpool’s Royal Albert Docks. It was the first contemporary art gallery in the North of England and has undergone a number of renovations since the 1990s.
The gallery is located in close proximity to the Museum of Liverpool, the Maritime Museum, and the International Slavery Museum. It is also walking distance from the Liverpool ONE shopping centre.