Making Bootle a night-time “destination in its own right” and enhancing canal links to Everton’s new stadium at Bramley Moore are all part of the grand plans for The Strand, according to a senior figure at Sefton Council.
Last month the borough was awarded £20 million by the Government to move ahead with its regeneration plans for the shopping precinct. The project had previously been knocked back on two occasions when searching for cash via the Government’s Levelling Up fund, but a surprise announcement in the Spring budget awarded £279 million to 19 'near-miss' projects that had previously missed out - including Bootle.
Sefton Council, which owns The Strand shopping centre, has long held ambitions to bring the landmark at the heart of the town into the future. Plans, backed by the City Region Combined Authority, are already underway to construct a new canalside attraction called ‘Salt and Tar’ with the fresh Government funding set to go towards the first phase of the larger overhaul of the 60-year-old structure.
READ MORE: Government finds £20m for Bootle Strand after previous snub
Stephen Watson, Executive director of Sefton Council recently showed the ECHO around the shopping centre to help illustrate the changes that are set to take place - and where further development could happen in the coming years that aims to make Bootle into more of a "destination in its own right". He stressed that the council wants the Strand to “maintain its profile” and will not close while a significant range of works take place.
He added: “There is still a lot more to do. But this money means [the project] is happening. It is only the starting point but it is moving forward now. This makes it possible.”
The canalside project already underway will form the starting point for where the works will take place. The council officer explained that the project will move “south to north” with the aim of work starting on the redevelopment early in 2024.
‘Salt and Tar’ is scheduled to host a number of events this year, including a comedy festival in May with live music performances taking place towards the stretch of water. Looking ahead a few years, there are hopes the Leeds Liverpool canal will further integrate Bootle with Everton’s new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock with the waterway stretching between the two destinations and the idea of taxi barges and boats already being floated.
As for where the £20 million of funding will be spent on overhauling the existing building, plans are drawn up to demolish the southern part of The Strand first. This will enable it to then be joined out to the canal side area while also making public space where the former M&S unit currently stands.
This will mean moving many of the businesses and charities that are currently based on the bottom floor of the strand. However Mr Watson said these businesses were “part of a long term relationship" and that the council wants to “maintain the long term relationship," adding: “They are partners we want to be here.”
Wider redevelopment works will take place across the rest of the Strand in due course, but not all parts of the project will require demolition. Areas like ‘The Hexagon’, the atrium space at the entrance on Washington Parade, will be one area that will be given a new lease of life in the wider plans.
The £20 million provided by the Government is not expected to cover the costs of the full project but means Sefton Council can now look towards starting work in the new year, should its projected timeline remain on track.
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