In a bid to transform both Southport and Bootle, two brand new frameworks are set to be discussed by Sefton Council's Cabinet.



The proposals aim to re-imagine the two towns and help stimulate investment in line with the feedback from the recent Imagine Sefton 2030 consultation and engagement; creating jobs, improving the economy and boosting tourism.

The Southport Development Framework, created by Nexus Planning supported by Broadway Malyan, looks to reconnect the beachfront, with a revitalised Lord Street.

The proposals focus on major development opportunities along with complementary initiatives that will help strengthen existing assets and the visitor offer, encouraging discussion between the local community, business and potential investors.

It is hoped that any development of the town will create a more dynamic Southport, promoting opportunities for local communities, building on existing assets and, ultimately, stimulating economic investment and strengthening the role of Southport as a family friendly visitor destination.

Sefton Council commissioned commercial property consultancy, Lambert Smith Hampton, to develop the Bootle Town Centre Investment Framework; an ambitious document that will be the basis for discussions between the Council, the local community, businesses and potential investors on the vision for Bootle in 2030.

The proposals look to harness Bootle’s current assets, including the canal, Bootle Strand, Hugh Baird College and its proximity to Liverpool City Centre and the Port of Liverpool, to reshape the town into a desirable residential, educational and business location.

The framework has a particular focus on maximising the uniqueness of Bootle Town Centre’s Commercial Quarter, the substantial area of office space around Trinity Road, and Retail Quarter, the area surrounding Bootle Stand and Stanley Road.

Moving forward the proposals will be used as a steer for any future developments within the town, ultimately delivering growth, jobs, improved infrastructure, housing, retail opportunities, and culture and leisure facilities.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council's Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said: “Both reports are vitally important as a guide for future development in both Southport and Bootle.

“Firstly, they further demonstrate our commitment to aims of the Sefton 2030 Vision and the feedback we have received following the consultation and engagement process, specifically around jobs and an improved local economy.

“Bootle and Southport are two completely unique towns within our borough with their own strengths and opportunities. We have commissioned two separate frameworks in order to ensure that these two towns have the best opportunity to develop and reach their potential.

“However, it is important that residents know this is not an overnight process and many of the proposals within the frameworks require large amounts of inward investment. Nevertheless, Sefton is a borough with fantastic assets and really is open for business.”

Peter Tooher Executive Director Nexus Planning Ltd, said: “Southport is a unique and classic seaside town that has real potential to build substantially on its brand - enhancing its profile and contribution to economic growth in the region, not least through the visitor economy.

“The Development Framework reflects the commitment of Sefton Council, Southport BID and other partners to work to realise long term ambitions through a co-ordinated approach to town centre management, unlocking sites, enhancing key heritage assets, improving the public realm and enhancing accessibility.”

Danny Crump, Director at Broadway Malyan, said: “The principle behind this project is physical regeneration enabling economic regeneration.

Adam Mirley, Director and Head of Lambert Smith Hampton’s North West Planning and Development Consultancy, said: “There is a huge amount of potential in Bootle which isn’t being fully realised at the moment. There is a need for an improved retail and leisure offer and more modern commercial business space in the town.

“The framework that we have produced, will encourage private sector investment and provide a platform for growth and development for the future, and take advantage of existing assets such as Hugh Baird College and The Strand.”

So Sefton Council want to boost tourism in Southport do they?
I'm afraid it may be too late as it is already in its death throes.
It is the only seaside town in the country with a pier over a muddy field, due to Sefton's criminal neglect of the beach.
Seems to me that they have a cunning plan to reclaim hundreds of acres of land from the sea to build more rates producing retail sheds on.
Bootle Labour - hang your heads in shame.

Could've been summed up in a couple of sentences; the wise words of the 'educated elite' that the exiters rightly or wrongly voted to spite. One day we'll look back at this kind of hyper-expensive, vacuous language and wonder how we got by.

Maximising the uniqueness of Bootle Town Centre's Commercial Quarter. You are surely taking the proverbial.

Originally Posted by Superbead

Could've been summed up in a couple of sentences; the wise words of the 'educated elite' that the exiters rightly or wrongly voted to spite. One day we'll look back at this kind of hyper-expensive, vacuous language and wonder how we got by.

You seriously call minor officials in Bootle the "educated elite" ? The vacuous language used here suggests quite the opposite. I sincerely hope none of the "Brexit money" is spent on Bootle - it is just the sort of lost cause that the EU loved to pour money into.

Originally Posted by Squirrel2

So Sefton Council want to boost tourism in Southport do they?
I'm afraid it may be too late as it is already in its death throes.
It is the only seaside town in the country with a pier over a muddy field, due to Sefton's criminal neglect of the beach.
Seems to me that they have a cunning plan to reclaim hundreds of acres of land from the sea to build more rates producing retail sheds on.
Bootle Labour - hang your heads in shame.

There are no end of gloom and doom wallahs posting on here claiming the end of the town is nigh. A casual stroll through the town during the summer or at weekend will show even the most blinkered amongst you that the opposite is true.

I think that the oft quoted - 'reports of my death have been grossly exaggerated' - is appropriate here.

At least as part of the 2030 vision is that we probably won't have John Pugh at the helm as I'm sure he's a nice man but can't see what he's done for the town in the last 16 years other than get very excited about Sainsbury's.

We can also hope Cllrs Dawson and Shaw will have moved on as they seem to be more interested in diverting blame to others and "slamming" colleagues or "calling" but not actually calling someone. All of which don't give a warm feeling they are working in the best interests of the town over their egos or parties, even by their postings I can't see how anyone would feel they could work with them if they had different values or rosettes which can only be a drag on the town moving forward.

There are some nice features is Southport they do need a constant maintenance rather than the more expensive route of waiting until the very last resort. Also as part of the future there's a lot of houses being built but not apparent on where the jobs, schools etc that come with an influx of people will come from.

"brand new frameworks".... "the visitor offer"...... What a load of vacuous BS.

Originally Posted by local

No, Southport sold its beach (golden sand for the pedants) over decades, we have left the waste from the sand refining process.

Southports beach would then have sat one metre higher and without the refining waste,
the silt from the Ribble would then have been more manageable at its edges.

Even as it is the neglect is destroying what little beach we have left, Southport is rapidly becoming a field resort with a marooned pier.

The silt washing down from the Ribble IS a completely natural phenomenon. If you go to Lytham St Annes, you'll see it's exactly the same over there.

As for selling the sand and the beach being 1m lower, can you show proof? Yes sand was processed and sold, I'm not disputing that, but there is no way they took the volume you're suggesting!

Next time you're on the coast road, if you look, you'll see the sand, it's just further out, something which has been happening for years. If you want proof of this, Bankfield Lane in Churchtown was so named for the Sea wall that was there, how far in land is that now? The Promenade was the seafront, but the sand building up led to the Marine lake . Boats used to come up to the Peir, but again, the build up of sand stopped this.

Originally Posted by Albion102

You seriously call minor officials in Bootle the "educated elite" ? The vacuous language used here suggests quite the opposite. I sincerely hope none of the "Brexit money" is spent on Bootle - it is just the sort of lost cause that the EU loved to pour money into.

My idea of education stretches a bit further than 'attended university for a few years', hence the ironic quotes (I might keep calling them this from now on), but as far as many laypeople are concerned, I'm sure that with their degrees, networks and politics, all quoted here are very representative indeed of a higher strata removed from reality but somehow in control of it.

Originally Posted by Sap33

The silt washing down from the Ribble IS a completely natural phenomenon. If you go to Lytham St Annes, you'll see it's exactly the same over there.

As for selling the sand and the beach being 1m lower, can you show proof? Yes sand was processed and sold, I'm not disputing that, but there is no way they took the volume you're suggesting!

Next time you're on the coast road, if you look, you'll see the sand, it's just further out, something which has been happening for years. If you want proof of this, Bankfield Lane in Churchtown was so named for the Sea wall that was there, how far in land is that now? The Promenade was the seafront, but the sand building up led to the Marine lake . Boats used to come up to the Peir, but again, the build up of sand stopped this.

No it isn't entirely natural the waste from Ribble dredging and the waste from the sand winning coupled with the removal of between 1966 and 1994, 4.5 x 106 m3 of sand extracted for the glass industry (van der Wal et al., 2002).

The sand taken was after in simple terms sieving out the silt.

Aindsdale and in particular Formby have for years had significant extraction taken place Formby became so depleted an act of parliament was brought in to stop it.

The one metre figure I will make available and its source when time permits.

Originally Posted by local

No it isn't entirely natural the waste from Ribble dredging and the waste from the sand winning coupled with the removal of between 1966 and 1994, 4.5 x 106 m3 of sand extracted for the glass industry (van der Wal et al., 2002).

The sand taken was after in simple terms sieving out the silt.

Aindsdale and in particular Formby have for years had significant extraction taken place Formby became so depleted an act of parliament was brought in to stop it.

The one metre figure I will make available and its source when time permits.

All well and good but you can't eco-babble your way around this simple fact -

For what it would cost to visit Southport on a rainy windswept Wednesday in August, after visiting the fast food outlets, fun fair, fuel and parking etc - or public transport fares, it's possible to have a long weekend on the Costa Wherever.

Originally Posted by gazaprop

All well and good but you can't eco-babble your way around this simple fact -

For what it would cost to visit Southport on a rainy windswept Wednesday in August, after visiting the fast food outlets, fun fair, fuel and parking etc - or public transport fares, it's possible to have a long weekend on the Costa Wherever.

Who wants to sit around in an airport for hours (either end of the journey) just for a long weekend!
I know I wouldn't!