National Museums Liverpool (NML) has revealed plans for a £65m museum development on Mann Island – which is situated between Albert Dock and the pier head buildings and is World Heritage-certified.

Mann Island was the proposed site for the Will Alsop-designed Fourth Grace scheme, ditched in July 2004 due to mounting costs.

Construction of the museum – which has been designed by Danish architects 3XN – is expected to begin in mid-2006 and be completed by 2008, in time for Liverpool’s year as the European Capital of Culture.

The NML has recently secured crucial funding for the development from the Merseyside Objective 1 Programme and the Northwest Regional Development Agency and will commence interviews by the end of February for an exhibition masterplanner for the museum project. Details: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk