News Special Artist’s vision of a thriving future for town

THIS eye-catching artist’s impression reveals the vision for a major transformation of Southport seafront.

It represents the most dramatic change for the area since Ocean Plaza was built 20 years ago.

It is among schemes within the final version of the Southport Development Framework, a blueprint for the future of our town which goes before Sefton Council’s Cabinet today (Thursday).

The plan, drawn up by consultants Nexus and Broadway Malyan, aims to guide future developments and attract investment.

The document identifies a number of key sites within Southport, which the council wants to see redeveloped.

The scheme aims to attract millions of pounds of new investment, along with more visitors, while growing the local economy.

Southport’s Marine Park site, which includes the site occupied by Southport Pleasureland and Princes Park, is seen as the key opportunity for Southport.

Sefton Council wants to connect a redeveloped beachfront area with a revitalised Lord Street.

A new tidal lagoon, similar to the one in Swansea Bay, could be created in a bid to privide renewable energy, coastal flood protection and new sports and tourism opportunities.

The framework outlines the possibility of using land on the seaward edge of the Marine Lake to build what appear to be new hotels or apartments.

The northern edge of the Marine Lake could see new family-friendly visitor accommodation in the form of cabins, lodges and camping pods or ‘glamping’.

Southport Pleasureland could be given a long-term lease with the remit to begin ambitious redevelopment plans, which would see the creation of a spectacular new rollercoaster, while housing much of the facility indoors, to create a regional, all year round attraction.

Numerous new buildings – and a striking looking seashell shaped dome – could be gathered along Marine Drive, in front of Pleasureland, in place of the go-kart track and car park currently on site.

New shops and cafes would be created on Southport Pier, already the subject of proposals for a £2.77million transformation.

The strategy said: “The vision for the future of the Marine Park site is to pursue an anchor leisure attraction of regional significance that will attract families and add to the critical mass of Southport’s visitor offer.

“The likely way of achieving this is to retain a theme park attraction.”