Benmore unveils south Liverpool leisure scheme

The Northern Ireland-based developer has submitted plans for the first phase of a leisure development to neighbour New Mersey Shopping Park on Speke Road.

Benmore plans a 15-acre scheme on former railway sidings to include hotels, a multi-screen cinema, gym and restaurants.

The developer said it would begin work on the £30m first phase as soon as consent was granted and could start trading by the end of 2012. The development was designed by Liverpool-based architects Falconer Chester Hall.

Cllr Joe Anderson, leader of Liverpool City Council, has given his initial support to Benmore's proposals. Anderson said: "This scheme would create jobs for local people in an area of the city where they are needed and would deliver a new leisure and entertainment centre for thousands of families to use every week."

David Burrows, chief executive of Benmore, said: "This development is wholly positive for the ongoing renaissance of the Speke Garston area and will complement existing developments and bring activity to the area during the evenings.

"We conducted a major consultation exercise with local people and received overwhelmingly positive feedback to our plans from more than a thousand residents. The city council has been extremely supportive of our plans and has gone about its business with a refreshing, professional and extremely positive can-do attitude. We are committed to continuing to work with them to ensure local people can access the employment opportunities this will present."

Adam Hall, director of Falconer Chester Hall, said: "This development will be designed in order to make it a destination with significant appeal to families and leisure visitors.

"The quality of the project will also help to transform a key gateway to the city, creating an attractive frontage along a main arterial route which is used by hundreds of thousands of visitors including tourists arriving through Liverpool John Lennon Airport."

Benmore already has a major development with planning consent on its books in Liverpool; a 120-bed hotel in Dale Street in the city centre.