Town Deal £50m bid could create more than 1,200 jobs
SOUTHPORT’S Town Deal Board has submitted its bid for £50m of government funding which could trigger a major regeneration for the town.
If granted, the funding will be used to develop a state-of-the-art waterside events centre’ to replace Southport Theatre; an all-year-round indoor attraction at Pleasureland to partner with a global brand; and a new events space on Lord Street which would return the historic road to its former glory.
A unique and immersive light show is to be created on the Marine Lake, while enterprise hubs would be created to provide a flexible and affordable home to businesses in the growing digital and creative industries which may otherwise be attracted to nearby cities.
At a time when seaside resorts across the country face hugely difficult challenges, the funding opportunity is seen as a once-in-a-generation chance to boost the town’s fortunes and put Southport on the “national and international stage”.
It is also hoped that that the developments will trigger a £400m investment of private funds and ultimately lead to the creation of 1,250 jobs across the resort.
The final plan comes after a consultation which asked the public which developments it wanted to support.
Rob Fletcher, chair of the Town Board, said: “Our plan has been informed by the biggest conversation the town has ever had about its future.
“We’ve had 7,000 pieces of individual feedback from residents, business and visitors. 700 schoolchildren have also put their ideas forward.
“Our plan is designed to provide opportunities for our current residents and future generations.”
Among the key components of the plan is a new convention and events centre on the site of the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre.
The existing centre closed down earlier this year when the Covid-19 pandemic cleared almost all booked events.
The building, meanwhile, lies in a poor state and is in need of urgent and expensive repairs. Its proposed replacement would house a 1,200seat auditorium, exhibition halls and a cafe and co-working space.
The state-of-the-art facility has been designed for flexible use and targeted at attracting new types of events such as e-sports to the North West region, as well as continuing to bring in conferences and similar events crucial to the local economy.
The plan also aims to regenerate the town centre and drive business growth, largely through the regeneration of Lord Street by repurposing it for modern needs.
This included creating a new events space and opening a ‘business incubator’ in one of the former shopping arcades.
A larger Enterprise Store would also be developed in a former department store building to provide scale-up accommodation for growing businesses.
The Town Deal Board has been supported through the process by planning and development consultancy Turley.
Richard Laming, senior director at Turley, said: “This plan signals a clear intent to the government and other investors that Southport has a clear vision for the future.
“The projects are unique and have the ability to leverage significant regeneration benefits to accelerate the region’s recovery from Covid-19.”
The proposed Southport Cove Resort, a proposed £40m development which would include a surf wave pool and hotel and spa facilities, is seen as evidence of the private investment that the wider redevelopment could attract.
The company behind the proposal, GoSurf, has signed an exclusivity agreement with Sefton Council to develop the attraction on the site of Princes Park.
Meanwhile, the £1m of funding already granted through the Town Deal fund has seen £900,000 put into redeveloping Southport Market into a modern food, drink and events space as well as contributing towards Christmas lights throughout the town centre.
Dwayne Johnson, Sefton Council chief executive, said: “The Town Deal process has raised the profile of Southport with investors and we can already see the positive effect.
“For example, Sefton Council has just announced an exclusivity agreement with GoSurf to create The Southport Cove Resort. This £40m privately financed investment will bring a unique surf wave pool and wellness and spa facilities to the town.
“The resort will add value to our Town Deal plan and complement our proposed projects, such as the convention and events centre and Marine
Lake experience.”
A decision on the funding is expected early 2021 and further details of projects are due to be announced in the next few weeks.
Asif Hamid MBE, chair of Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, described the investment plan as “hugely impressive”.
He said: “The projects it contains will massively enhance the visitor experience, diversify the economy and provide critical underpinning infrastructure.
“Taken together this can deliver an incredibly exciting future for Southport, providing a wonderful place for people to live, work, study in and visit. It will help position the town on a national and international stage and provide a highly attractive proposition for visitors and investment.”
Urging the government to back the plan, Southport BID CEO Rachel Fitzgerald said she was delighted with the Southport Town Deal submission.
She said: “We hope these exciting plans will increase investor confidence in Southport, leading to the further development of our town centre and drive continuous business growth.
“This substantial new investment will provide vital support and attract greater spend for the existing businesses here in our town.”