Sefton Council unveils new images of £10m project to transform Southport’s Town Hall Gardens into a botanical garden and performance space. Tony McDonough reports
New images show how Southport’s Town Hall Gardens will be transformed with the £10m project now entering a second stage of public consultation.
Last year Sefton council unveiled plans for the botanical garden and performance space inspired by schoolgirls Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Da Silva who were murdered in an attack on a dance class at the Hart Space studio in Southport on July 29, 2024.
Funded by Government, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Sefton Council, the regeneration of the gardens is the shared hope of the families of the girls as their way of saying ‘thank you’ to the town for its support.
Now Sefton Council is inviting residents, businesses and visitors to have their say on the transformation, which aims to create a welcoming, accessible and safe multi-use space for families, children and the wider community.
The current proposals have been shaped by feedback received during the first stage of consultation which took place in late 2025, and reflect Southport’s distinctive history, coastal landscape and horticultural heritage.
Four connected character areas featured within the designs are The Performance Plaza, The Mega Ripples, Celebration Dunes and The Botanical Garden.
Combined they would provide flexible space for performances and community events, opportunities for play and relaxation, new planting and improved biodiversity, as well as improved accessible routes through the gardens.
People are now being asked to comment on the designs before the council moves towards submitting a planning application. Feedback from the consultation will be reviewed and will help guide the final proposals.
Cllr Marion Atkinson, leader of Sefton Council, said: “These updated images bring to life our shared ambitions of creating a beautiful, welcoming and community focussed space in the heart of Southport.
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“Southport’s Town Hall Gardens has worn many different looks over the decades but has always been a vital space for Sandgrounders to gather. With this latest regeneration we want to ensure that local people feel it belongs to them, for them.
The consultation is open until Monday, October 5, and people can view the designs and complete the consultation via by clicking here.