Graham lined up for £73m Southport events centre
The contractor has entered into a pre-construction services agreement for the waterfront event and conference complex, replacing Kier Construction on the job.
Sefton Council has selected Graham Construction as its preferred contractor for the £73m Southport project and is hopeful of work beginning this year.
Work to clear the former Southport Theatre and Convention Centre, located on the Promenade, is around 80% complete.
The demolished complex will be replaced by the Marine Lake Event Centre, which features plans for a 1,200-seat theatre, 2,400-capacity conference space, and a series of offices, meeting rooms, restaurants, and production facilities.
The project is the anchor scheme for the council’s successful £37.5m Town Deal award.
Kier had been lined up to build the MLEC but Sefton and the contractor announced they had parted ways in late 2023. More than a year later, the project looks to be back on track following the appointment of Graham but the initial 2026 opening date Sefton had in mind is no longer achievable.
Marine Lake Events Centre has been designed by AFL Architects. Gardiner & Theobald is the project manager for the scheme.
The project team also includes civil engineer AECOM, transport consultant WSP, noise and air quality consultant Hydrock, arboricultural consultant Tyler Grange, and planning consultant CBRE.
You can learn more about the MLEC by searching application reference number DC/2022/01391 on Sefton Council’s planning portal.
We do not even have a decent hotel in Southport,and no shops to visit when attending this new Events Centre.Our once glorious pier us closed and in danger if falling down.The shore line is covered in mud.
Our once beautiful Lord
Street is dirty and neglected.
Before we have an Events Centre we need all the above thoroughly renovated and our once prosperous and thriving town restored to the likes of Harrogate & Cheltenham,totally beyond the aspirations of Sefton Council.
By Annabelle Taylor
Wasn’t it that before restaurants and bars sefton council up to no good yet again sounds like bootle shopping centre yet again
By Synic
There’s no way Sefton Council has the money for all of this, unless they borrow an astronomical amount of money. Absolute white elephant that does a disservice to the borough
By Its all about the money
The Southport to Wigan line needs electrification and direct trains from London and elsewhere, as this will make this centre much easier to access. Who knows one day the Tories might have their annual conference there.
By Anonymous
Will that generate the funds to repair the pier and will the Bliss get a refurb and facelift?
By Ms Adrien Herbert
Southport should focus on being the best version of it’s self … An elegant victorian seaside town with world class golf heritage…before it attempts reinvent it’s self las Vegas. A massive missed opportunity, a massive white elephant in waiting. Southport has lots going for it, just not the transport connections to support conferencing
By Anonymous
Lord Street, was once the most elegant thoroughfare in the North West, so how did it go from 5th Avenue, to Slough high street, in my lifetime? Shame on you Sefton Council.
By Elephant
Southport needs a Southport Town Council with the legal authority and tax revenue and local democratic right to run Southport; and not a Sefton Council, whatever and wherever Sefton is. I have just checked: Sefton is half-an-hour by train from Southport on the way to Liverpool.
By Anonymous
@February 10, 2025 at 10:08 am
By Anonymous
Agree. This should be set up at the earliest opportunity.
By Rye