Images of the new ferry terminal planned for Liverpool have been unveiled.

The pictures have been released ahead of a public display in Liverpool this week. A planning application is due to be submiited next month.

The images show that the new building would be glass fronted with a steel frame, with passengers welcomed in English and Manx above the main door.

Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer MHK said: ’The proposed terminal has been designed to combine a high standard of civil engineering with a high quality building.’

Car passengers will enter from the road currently under construction as part of Liverpool’s city centre connection project, with bus and taxi spaces provided.

Foot passengers will be able to enter along the access bridge, which is at the rear of the Alexandra Tower.

Freight vehicles will wait to board boats in a designated area next to the river.

As we have previously reported, it had been the company’s wish to transfer freight to Liverpool.

The plans have been welcomed by Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson, who said the new terminal would ’cement our strong links’ between the island and Liverpool.

He added: ’The new Isle of Man terminal is a critical piece in our regeneration plans for the north shore of Liverpool.

’The city council is investing a huge amount of money in the transport infrastructure to support this new facility and we look forward to its completion.’

The new terminal has proved a controversial issue, with passenger watchdog TravelWatch previously criticising the distance from the current facility at Pier Head and the new Princes Half Tide Dock site for foot passengers who may go shopping in the city.

Last month the Department of Infrastructure announced it had completed a purchase of a long-term lease on the site with Peel Land and Property Ltd for £3.5m.

However, the cost of building the dock, which Manx taxpayers will fund, has soared.

Back in 2015, the Steam Packet claimed Peel Ports was ready to invest £15m in replacing the Pier Head landing stage.

By 2016, in a Department of Infrastructure report Peel Group had indicated a cost in April 2015 of £18m for developing and constructing the new landing stage and terminal.

Then in March of 2017, before the government purchased the company, Steam Packet chief executive Mark Woodward said the company had begun talks over building the new facility but the government had taken over.

He said: ’We initially started discussions with Peel Ports about securing new facilities away from the existing landing stage. The company would have funded this by way of a long-term commitment to the Liverpool route.

’However, the Isle of Man Government decided it wanted to secure and control any new facilities at Liverpool, and as a result of this decision Peel Ports chose to suspend discussions with us.’

Funding for the scheme is now estimated at £30,492,000, including the £3.5m spent buying the land. It will require Tynwald approval once planning permission has been received for a scheme that has become taxpayers’ responsibility after projected costs have doubled.