St Modwen has started work on the £150m regeneration scheme around the Great Homer Street area and it will include a new supermarket, district centre, homes and improved public spaces. Tony McDonough reports.

Work on a long-awaited £150m regeneration scheme for North Liverpool that will create more than 1,000 jobs is finally under way.

Project Jennifer in the Great Homer Street area of the city will bring a new supermarket, district centre, homes and improved public spaces to North Liverpool.

It is being delivered by developer St Modwen in partnership with Liverpool City Council and Sainsbury’s.

Sainsbury’s has appointed building and civil engineering contractors McLaughlin & Harvey to build the new 67,000 sq ft supermarket and started on site at the end of September.

St Modwen has appointed Caddick Construction to develop the new district centre and work will get underway in the coming weeks.

As well as a new Sainsbury’s store, the project will bring 80,000 sq ft of retail space, 900 free customer car parking spaces, a petrol filling station, and a McDonald’s restaurant.

Major road improvements have been made, including a new junction linking Scotland Road to Great Homer Street and there will be improved links to Everton Park.

The new ‘Greatie’ market facility formed an earlier phase of the scheme and opened its doors in 2014.

There have been 102 new homes built, including 81 apartments specifically designed for the over 55s.

Paul Batho, Projects Director at St. Modwen, said: “The commencement of construction work of the new Sainsbury’s and the district centre is a major milestone in the delivery of the regeneration of Great Homer Street and begins the countdown to project completion next year.

“There is a substantial investment being made in this part of the city and, when complete, Sainsbury’s and the new District Centre will boost the local economy bringing much needed jobs and vibrancy to this important part of the city.”