Sydney Opera House: Liverpool council says it wants its very own version on banks of the River Mersey

The city aims to use its bid for devolved powers from Whitehall to create its own 'iconic building' on the waterfront

The Sydney Opera House, lit red, in 1999 (Getty Images)

Liverpool wants to build its own version of Sydney’s opera house on the banks of the River Mersey as part of its devolution plans.

The city aims to use its bid for devolved powers from Whitehall to create its own “iconic building” on the waterfront, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Leaked documents suggest the region wants to build a “national centre for excellence” focusing on Liverpool’s “strengths in areas such as music, performance and outdoor events”.

According to the Echo, talks have included having “an iconic building – an opera house of the North”.

The Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said the city needs to “maximise” on its “culture and arts”, which he said are Liverpool’s “unique selling point”.

“I want an iconic building on the waterfront that helps bring in more tourists and develops our cultural offer,” he is quoted as saying. “We have talked to them about it, talked to people at the highest level about having an iconic building here – an opera house of the North.”

The move would see Liverpool move up the ranks of the world’s greatest waterside cities. These include Bilbao in Spain, which is famed for its waterfront Guggenheim Museum.

Liverpool, whose Pier Head buildings form part of a Unesco World Heritage Site, is already twinned with other great waterfront cities including Shanghai in China.

Merseyside officials have been locked in talks with the Government about its devolution plans.

Lord Heseltine, who was once dubbed the “minister for Liverpool”, has visited the region as part of the present negotiations.

Council leaders say talks are going well, despite reports last month that an unnamed minister had criticised the region’s plans as “disappointing”. They insist no decisions have been made on what will be included in the region’s devolution deal.

Phil Davies, the chairman of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said: “Negotiations with the Government are positive and constructive and these discussions are ongoing. No decisions have yet been made on what may or may not be included in a devolution deal for the Liverpool city region.”