Members of the public asked for their views on £150m masterplan for the transformation of Skelmersdale town centre which includes ambitions for a new Merseyrail station. Tony McDonough reports
Tawd Valley Developments is asking for public views on the proposed £150m transformation of Skelmersdale town centre.
An arm of West Lancs Council, Tawd Valley tasked Tetra Tech and Lambert Smith Hampton to come up with a masterplan for the town on a 75-acre site. Plans include new homes, workspaces, leisure and retail facilities.
Central to the masterplan is a new railway station connecting Skelmersdale with Liverpool, Manchester and Wigan. Its last station closed in 1956 and Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has ambitions to extend the Merseyrail network to the town.
Lancashire County Council is also a partner in the scheme which takes in the existing town centre and land to the south between Grimshaw Road and Glenburn Road.
Mark Kitts, managing director of Tawd Valley, said: “The original plans for Skelmersdale envisaged a town of 80,000 people, but only about half that figure was delivered.
“Our proposals will boost the town’s population whilst providing it with a modern and attractive town centre that will, of itself, encourage additional residents to move to the area.”
Marks reveals early discussions with developers are yielding crucial insights. He added: “The response so far has been very encouraging.
“Developers can see the town’s positive trajectory in terms of employment, new commercial occupiers and housing improvement and believe there’s a role for them to take Skelmersdale to the next level.
“We want to put our thinking to the test with people who understand the market dynamics of town centres and the funding opportunities that go with them.”
These proposals envisage 550,000 square feet of new build space, including around 600 new homes, new leisure and cultural facilities and 28,000 sq ft of commercial development.
As well as the two authorities, the other key landowner is LCP (part of the MCore Group), which owns the existing Concourse Shopping Centre in the town, part of which is incorporated into the wider masterplan.
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The public consultation started online on Tuesday, October 22, and finishes on Monday, November 25, and can be accessed here. There will also be consultation ‘in-person’ to be held at the Concourse shopping centre, between November 13 and 17.
Also supporting the proposals is Hive Land and Planning, which has provided project delivery and funding advice.