Demolition at arts centre to start in March
THE demolition of the former Southport Theatre and Convention Centre is due to begin by the end of March.
It will make way for the new Marine Lake Events Centre (MLEC), plus an accompanying water and light show on the lake.
The exciting £73 million new development which is the central scheme of Southport Town Deal.
The project is led by Sefton Council and once complete is forecast to attract an additional 515,000 visitors to Southport every year, bringing an estimated £12 million into the local economy annually.
CBRE Ltd has now sent a planning submission to Sefton Council which calls for the construction of a floating raft next to the northern island on the Marine Lake.
The raft would remain in place while demolition and construction are taking place and throughout the operation of the Marine Lake Events Centre.
In the application, CBRE says: “It is proposed to install the floating raft adjacent to the northern island by March 15 (weather dependent).
“This will ensure the raft is installed prior to the demolition of the theatre, which is anticipated to commence at the end of March.”
The Marine Lake Events Centre will be built on the site of the former Southport Theatre and Convention Centre, which has been closed since March 2020.
It will include the UK’s first lakeside sound and light show in the Marine Lake in front of the centre.
It is forecast that the project will lead to the creation of 200 new jobs, increase footfall to
Southport by 515,000 people each year, and lead to additional spend in the local economy of £12.2million every year.
In terms of broader impact across the town, it is projected that the Southport Town Investment Plan, of which the Marine Lake Events Centre is the most substantial project, could become the catalyst to attract up to £400 million of additional private sector investment.
A total of £33.3 million has been committed through funds from the Government’s Southport Town Deal initiative, with a further £20 million from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and over £19 million in prudential borrowing by Sefton Council.
ASM Global has been appointed as Sefton Council’s preferred venue operator for the Marine Lake Events Centre.