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Waterfront Development International Conference 2025

Published on

A middle aged man standing at a lectern speaking to a conference room. Two his right is a display screen showing slides, delegates site round tables watching him.

The Waterfront Development International Conference 2025 has successfully concluded. Hosted at The Spine in Liverpool, the conference brought together over 60 participants from universities, city authorities, planning practices, and industries across the UK, Europe and China, online and in-person.

With strong collaboration between Nottingham University, the Urban Form and Social Space group at the Liverpool School of Architecture, Xi’an Jiaotong–Liverpool University, Tianjin University, Beijing Jiaotong University, Nanjing University of Technology, Peel Waters, and Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute, the event created a vibrant platform for advancing global discussions on sustainable, smart and inclusive waterfronts.

A middle aged man standing at a lectern speaking to a conference room. Two his right is a display screen showing slides, delegates site round tables watching him.

Conference Highlights

Inspiring Keynote Speeches

Professor Tim Heath delivered a visionary address on urban identity and waterfront placemaking, while Peel Waters shared long-term insights from their major redevelopment programmes at Liverpool Waters and Manchester Waters.

Five Thematic Tracks

The conference explored:

  • Waterfront heritage and identity
  • Community engagement and social equality
  • Climate resilience and biodiversity
  • Smart and AI-driven waterfronts
  • Recreation, tourism and innovation clusters
  • Research Presentations & Roundtables

Presentations showcased cutting-edge research on waterfront regeneration, climate adaptation and digital innovation. Cross-disciplinary roundtables fostered lively exchange between academics, planners, policymakers and designers.

In a conference room three women and two men are sitting on a stage speaking to an audience. One of the women is holding a microphone and reading from a tablet computer.

Field-Based Learning

Delegates participated in guided tours of Liverpool Waters, Liverpool city centre, and Manchester Waters—linking research discussions with real-world redevelopment practice.

Media Updates

Some of the sessions will soon be available for broader audience to review via the conference official website.

Waterfront Development International Conference 2025

A mixed group of delegates standing in front of a screen and posing for the camera.

In an atrium two smartly dressed women are having a discussion, behind them a man and a women are talking.

Our heartfelt thanks go to all keynote speakers, presenters, delegates, student volunteers and our partners—especially Liverpool City Council and Peel Waters—for their generous support.