Liverpool considers plan for a giant ferris wheel on its waterfront.

The Liverpool Culture Company has applied for planning permission to erect a 197ft “eye” on the city’s waterfront as part of the Sea Liverpool 2005. The application is supported by National Museums Liverpool, and the city council.

The wheel, which was designed by Swiss architect Roland Bussink, has already been constructed – in Munich – and will be brought to Liverpool as the world’s largest transportable mobile wheel. Weighing 345 tonnes, it cost £3.5m to construct, and will need 40,000 litres of water in its ballasts when it is put in place.

The design is similar to the Millennium Eye in London; it will carry visitors in glass pods, affording them fantastic views as far as north Wales and across the Irish Sea. It will stand a little under half the height of its London cousin, but would take each passenger around three times.

Liverpool City Council leader Mike Storey said: “It will be a great addition to the water front and will give local people and visitors a fantastic bird’s eye view of the this beautiful city of ours.”