Member Article

New supermarket set to create Mersey jobs

A new supermarket in the Stonebridge Cross area, of Croxteth in Liverpool, is set to create 300 local jobs and drive forward the regeneration of the area.

The Mayor’s cabinet has approved plans for the city council to complete the purchase of land at Stonebridge Business Park, for the development of a new food superstore.

The scheme, for a 6,600msq food store and petrol filling station at the site, was passed by planning committee last June.

The completion of the deal for the land would allow talks to be finalised with a major chain over a new supermarket, along with associated small shops, a café and restaurants – creating a new local centre for the neighbourhood.

The plans support the wider regeneration of the 90-acre Stonebridge Cross development site, which will also include a major distribution centre, a health centre, community hub and a new building to house St John Bosco Arts College.

The overall scheme, when completed, will create more than 1,000 new jobs.

Once the city council completes the acquisition of the land, which is currently owned by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), it will be transferred to Regeneration Liverpool, the Council’s regeneration joint venture with Sigma Inpartnership.

This will enable Regeneration Liverpool to crystalise current interest from a major foodstore operator by entering into legal agreements, so that development and construction can begin on site.

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: “These are exciting times for the Croxteth community. Stonebridge Cross is an area that has been neglected for too long, but we are now beginning to make significant progress in driving forward its regeneration.

“The acquisition of this land at Stonebridge Park for a new supermarket is another important milestone for the area, and supports our plans to provide much-needed jobs, along with improved shopping, leisure and education facilities for local people.”

“It forms part of my Mayoral priorities plans to create 20,000 new jobs for our city and build 12 hi-tech secondary, primary and special schools.”

It is the latest piece of the jigsaw in the development of the Stonebridge Cross area. In November, developers Gallan Estates and Stoford were granted detailed planning consent for a major distribution centre, which would provide 1.25m sq ft of warehouse floor space on a 68 acre site, suitable for large scale distribution companies.

The construction of the new St John Bosco Arts College by Regeneration Liverpool is also progressing well and is scheduled for completion in September 2014. And the land assembly works necessary to deliver the new health centre are currently underway.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .