Terry Farrell and Partners of the UK, Cesar Pelli and Associates and Raphael Vinoly Architects from the United States are now working on the next design stage for the western part of the Area project between Paradise Street and the Strand.

Grosvenor director Rodney Holmes said: 'Liverpool's Waterfront is a potential World Heritage Site. The planning of the area is of local, national and international importance. We're delighted to have three eminent architects with world-wide experience in large-scale urban design to help us find a world-class solution to the complex issues that need to be addressed.'

Grosvenor and Henderson were selected last year to develop up to 1 million sf of retail and leisure space on the 42-acre city centre site, and the masterplan is now out for public consultation. However, the project has a rival in the Walton Group's proposals for a massive retail scheme on the Chavasse Park site, between the city's commercial core and the River Mersey. Walton has hired veteran US architect to masterplan the Chavasse park scheme.