Speke Garston - Mixed-Use Development - Croxteth, Stonebridge Cross
Date: 18 Nov 2002
Plans for a major new mixed-use regeneration scheme in Croxteth, on one of the main gateway routes into Liverpool city centre, have taken an important step forward.
David McLean Group and Tesco have been appointed by Speke Garston Development Company as the preferred developers of the retail, leisure and housing scheme at the 20.2 ha (50 acre) Stonebridge Cross site off East Lancashire Road.
The Development Company and its regeneration partners - Liverpool Housing Action Trust and Liverpool Housing Trust - selected the bid for the multi-million scheme from a shortlist of three.
The scheme will create a new heart for the Stonebridge Cross Community including a 9,290 sq m (100,000 sq ft) Tesco Extra Superstore, 7,432 sq m (80,000 sq ft) of other retail outlets, around 300 new homes, as well as leisure and community facilities. The proposed Merseytram link between Liverpool city centre and Kirkby will also run through the scheme.
Local people have been closely involved in the development of the project through a comprehensive consultation process and Liverpool City Council have pledged that this will continue as the programme is implemented.
Speke Garston Development Company is acting as Liverpool City Council's agent for this project prior to the formal launch of its enhanced role as Liverpool Land Development Company.
A masterplan for the scheme is currently being produced and a planning application could be submitted in early 2003.
Speke Garston Development Company Chairman, Ray O'Brien CBE, said : " We are delighted to be able to unveil details of this major scheme which is great news for local residents. It will create an exciting new future for Stonebridge Cross by providing better housing and much-improved shopping facilities, upgrading the local environment and creating jobs for local people into the bargain."
Councillor Peter Millea, Liverpool City Council Executive Member for Regeneration, said : " This is a really significant development for the northern part of the city and we are very pleased that major companies are becoming involved in it and that local people were involved in the shortlisting of these companies. It will make the Croxteth area a better place for living, shopping, leisure and employment."
Mark Thomas, Development Director of David McLean Developments, commented: "This far- reaching and ambitious scheme will provide a completely new retail district centre, new housing and new community facilities."
Martin Venning of Tesco added: "This is a rare opportunity to provide a new heart for the community at Stonebridge Cross which will meet local people's aspirations for an improved environment in which to live and work. We look forward to working with community representatives and Liverpool City Council to make this vision a reality."
David Green, Chief Executive of Liverpool Housing Action Trust, is excited about the prospects for a new and vibrant local centre for the area : " It will complement and support the massive investment the HAT has already put into the area in redeveloping the blocks at Storrington Heys and the planned joint scheme with LHT at Stonebridge Crescent. It will also be the final piece of the jigsaw as far as the HAT is concerned - the existing Altbridge Park tower blocks will make way for the development of new local centre and local residents will then have a far better range of services and facilities."
Liverpool Housing Trust Chief Executive, Dave Bebb, added : " This is the result of three years of hard work by our partners and ourselves. LHT will be providing around 150 new properties for affordable rent as part of the development which will also create much-needed local employment for the area."
The Stonebridge Cross scheme will involve two parts of the David McLean Group - David McLean Developments and its sister company, David McLean Homes.
The lead architects for the project are the Building Design Partnership (BDP) with Ainsley Gommon being responsible for the residential design.
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