The Great Homer Street development in Liverpool is expected to begin in Spring 2014 after the scheme was granted detailed planning consent.
The scheme will include retail and leisure space, is estimated to create 1,000 new jobs and features a new flagship Sainsbury‘s supermarket which will be the largest in the city.
It is expected that development of the 110,000 sq ft Sainsbury‘s store will begin in Spring 2015 and open early in 2016, with the entire scheme due to complete in Autumn 2016. Further phases of development will follow in the Marwood tower and Dryden Street areas of the site.
Regeneration specialists St. Modwen, who have been tasked with the £2bn regeneration of New Covent Garden Market in London and the £1bn Longbridge project in Birmingham, will lead the development in partnership with Liverpool County Council. The company are aiming to fill another 80,000 sq ft of retail space and stated they have been actively recruiting retailers for the last six months. As well as retail space, the scheme will provide a new open air market, leisure facilities, 480 new homes, 900 free customer car parking spaces and a petrol filling station.
Stephen Prosser, regional director at St. Modwen, said: “We are delighted that this scheme, which is both needed and wanted by the local community, is moving forwards towards actual delivery on site. The attainment of this detailed permission is the next important step forward and is testament to the positive support the scheme continues to enjoy. We are committed to delivering this scheme for the people of North Liverpool and will be working hard to finalise the details over the next few months in the build-up to starting on site.”
Liverpool City Council‘s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, said: “Project Jennifer is an important progression for North Liverpool and will regenerate an area in real need of investment and development. We are looking forward to seeing this vital scheme delivered, which will make a massive difference to people‘s lives – breathing new life into the area, providing first-class facilities and creating new jobs.”
