A former Liverpool city region Mercedes-Benz car showroom could make way for a new retail development. Andrew Brown reports
A former Mercedes-Benz car showroom in Birkdale in Southport could be replaced by a new 4,660 sq ft convenience store plus two new shops and a fitness studio.
AIM Capital, the venture behind the scheme says it “has been in detailed dialogue with a national retailer and the proposed convenience store has been developed to meet their requirements”.
This would operate as a typical small-scale convenience store format, which will meet the day to day needs of the local community.
Market interest has been shown by non-food retailers as well as national operators for sandwich shops and a retail bakery with a belief that “these formats would trade well adjacent to a convenience store”.
It would bring a vacant site back into use after the car showroom closed in April 2025. A planning application has been submitted to Sefton Council by Bowman Riley on behalf of AIM Capital.
The potential operator of the new convenience store has not been named at this stage. In May, Aldi submitted a full planning application to Sefton Council to build a new outlet at the Sandbrook Way local centre in Ainsdale.
In recent years, Birkdale has seen the opening of a new Tesco convenience store and a new Aldi supermarket further along Liverpool Road.
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In its application, Bowman Riley said: “The site accommodates an 815 sq m (8,772 sq ft) building which has been in established use as a car sales garage with associated space for servicing.
“Through this scheme, the building will be sub-divided to allow 4 commercial units with the external space reconfigured for parking, servicing and associated works.
“The largest unit will be a convenience store to be operated by a national retailer. The remaining three units will comprise two smaller retail units and a space to be used as a studio (likely for Pilates or personal training).”