The cranes towering above the in-filled Bramley Moore Dock offer a symbol of how a recent battle over Liverpool's heritage and future played out.
But it’s not the only contest of its kind to have taken place against the backdrop of the North Docks in recent years. Less than a mile southward, Waterloo Dock has been the subject of a protracted argument over whether to preserve its original form or press ahead with what many see as crucial regeneration.
Ships haven’t sailed from Waterloo Dock since 1988 and its entrance channel to the Mersey has been filled, roughly where the new Isle of Man Ferry terminal is being erected. While the dockland area may seem as though it’s being retained as a monument to its celebrated engineer Jesse Hartley, it has in fact been at the centre of a busy scene since it closed for business.
