Backed with £20m of Government funding Sefton Council submits planning application for next stage of transformation of Bootle including a new town square. Tony McDonough reports

Sefton Council is set to begin £20m transformation of Bootle Strand

Sefton Council is pushing on with its regeneration plans for the centre of Bootle. Backed with £20m of Government funding.

On Wednesday the authority said it had submitted a planning application for the next stage of work in the transformation of Bootle Strand and the shopping centre, which it acquired in 2017

This includes details on the creation of a new town square and landscaping work to better connect the shopping centre with the existing Salt and Tar events venue, as well as the canalside.

These changes will see the introduction of more green spaces and community areas. It also shows new changes to the former M&S building, with plans to repurpose the shop into six individual units and a community space.

The latest plans were shaped by a public consultation which included comments about accessibility, the sustainability of materials being used and suggestions of new uses for the former M&S building.

As a result, the designs in the new planning application are fully accessible by wheelchairs and pushchairs, and easy to use by people with impaired mobility. They also include ways to reduce carbon use as much as possible.

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economy and Skills, said: “We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who took part in our consultation about the next steps for the Bootle town centre transformation project.

“I was pleased to see that 77% of respondents supported our overall plans, while at the same time providing ideas which are reflected in the latest planning application.”

While the current planning application doesn’t detail how specific units within the shopping centre will be used, feedback from the public will be considered in the future.

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There were a range of suggestions for the former M&S building, including community uses, business facilities and health services, all of which will be looked at by Sefton Council, with more details and plans released in the future.

Other ideas from the public about the plans for Bootle included the introduction and maintenance of green spaces, and suggestions for Mons Square.

Click here for more information about the project and click here to see the full planning application.