Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s signs 15-year lease and will open a new store a part of a £120m residential complex being built close to Liverpool city centre. Tony McDonough reports
Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s will open a 4,000 sq ft retail outlet that will be incorporated into The Forge residential development on the edge of Liverpool city centre.
Earlier this month LBN revealed that Jarron Developments would shortly start work on The Forge that will offer 400 homes including apartments and townhouses in Leeds Street in the Pumpfields district. It will also include a rooftop running track.
Sainsbury’s has signed a 15-year lease at the site and it follows a similar deal on the other side of the River Mersey at the Millers Quay development at Wirral Waters, where it has opened a 4,300 sq ft store in a £2m investment.
Will Clarke, development director at Jarron Developments, said: “Sainsbury’s is an outstanding addition to The Forge and a significant milestone for the wider Pumpfields regeneration story.
“A 15-year commitment from a major national retailer demonstrates the long-term potential of the location and reflects our own confidence in the future of Pumpfields.
“The Forge is about much more than delivering 400 new homes. Creating a successful and vibrant community means providing the amenities, services and commercial spaces that people need in their everyday lives, and Sainsbury’s will play an important role in that.”
Removal of the former Marble Hall Café and clearance of the site will mark the official start of the pre-construction phase for The Forge and is set to begin in the coming months.
Jonathan Arthur, Sainsbury’s head of property development, added: “Liverpool is an important location for Sainsbury’s and we’re excited to be part of the continued regeneration and growth of this part of the city.
“The Forge will bring new homes and amenities to the area, and we look forward to creating jobs and serving the growing community, becoming part of the neighbourhood as Pumpfields continues to develop.”