Work on the next stage of the £30m regeneration of a Liverpool city region town centre to begin later this month with major public realm upgrades. Tony McDonough reports
Work on the next stage of the £30m regeneration of Earlestown town centre will begin at the end of August.
Friday, August 28, will see the start of major public realm upgrades in Earlestown, which is within the borough of St Helens. Works on Market Street will deliver improved pavement surfaces and street finishes and upgraded street furniture, signage, lighting and soft landscaping.
Improved vehicular access control measures will also be installed to support traffic management and public safety.
To help minimise disruption, works will be undertaken to ensure that pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the construction period, and access to properties and businesses will be maintained wherever possible.
These works will coincide with the partial reopening of the Market Square following extensive renovations. This milestone will see the Friday Retail Market and Saturday Flea Market partially relocate to their historic home.
They are being delivered by the Eric Wright Group, the main contractor appointed by ECF (a partnership between Homes England, L&G and Muse) on behalf of St Helens Council.
Sam Wilson, project manager at ECF, said: “In the last two months, the contractor has completed the foundations and steel frame for the new market canopy, as well as flood storage features under the Market Square.
“The paving of the market square itself is now well under way. Elsewhere, deep drainage works on Oxford Street are now complete, with rain garden drainage being installed. Works on Queens Street are ongoing.”
Earlstown’s regeneration is backed by £20m from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund and £8m match funding from the council. It aims to revitalise Earlstown’s centre by restoring and modernising the town hall and improving the market square.
Work is also well advanced on the full restoration of the Grade II-listed Earlestown Town Hall, a building originally completed in 1893 at a cost of £10,200 (almost £1.2m in today’s money).
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Cllr Jack Benyon, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Property and Planning at St Helens Council, added: “It is exciting to see works in Earlestown town centre continue to move at pace.
“These high-quality public realm improvements will help the market and local businesses to thrive by creating a safe, more attractive, welcoming and accessible town centre that will be enjoyed for generations to come.”