Knowsley presses on with regen plans

Cabinet approval will be sought next week as officers look to advance regeneration in Prescot with Cityheart, and in Huyton with Genr8 Kajima.

Cityheart was selected as Knowsley’s partner for Prescot in September 2024, the council granting the developer an exclusivity period to work up plans to redevelop the 90,000 sq ft local authority-owned retail complex in the town.

Now, with a deliverable first phase worked out, approval is sought from cabinet to push on with Cityheart’s proposals.

Officers propose that an initial capital investment is provided to support Cityheart in progressing plans to RIBA Stage 4, expected to take up to 12 months. This will enable accurate costing, coordination and construction planning. Market engagement will continue through this period.

The officer report outlines: “Retaining the shopping centre in its current form is not considered a viable option due to its outdated design that has resulted in lack of retailer interest and high running costs, which the Council continues to support each year whilst in its current state.

Long-term, the plan is for one- and two-bed homes to be introduced to Prescot town centre. Credit: council documents

“The proposed next stage of work will open up the shopping centre site for investment, retain key existing retail units closest to the high street, improve the car park, create new public routes and deliver a new library, museum and cultural space.”

On top of that, the programme will open up future housing opportunities.

Officers added that early feasibility work suggests the annual revenue requirement for delivering this regeneration scheme would be similar to the current cost of retaining the centre in its current state. Members are assured that a full business case will be brought forward for decision before construction begins.

A £1.6m investment has already been made to support an initial phase of demolition works, including the former Stephenson’s Printworks building and an unviable section of the shopping centre. These are now cleared.

The 18 March meeting will also hear an update on the progress of Huyton’s £200m redevelopment programme.

A hybrid application was lodged in November last year, and is expected to be determined in the next few months.

The scheme received a boost in February, with Homes England’s approval of £19m through the Brownfield Infrastructure and Land Fund, which will unlock the seven-acre site by enabling demolition, groundworks, infrastructure installation, and redevelopment of 6–8 Cavendish Walks into a new library and community hub, alongside delivery of the Village Green.

It will also support demolition of the Lathom Road multistorey car park ahead of a new transport hub, which is to be funded through the Liverpool City Region’s Transport for City Regions programme.

Knowsley’s cabinet is now asked to sign off officers entering into a grant funding agreement with Homes England and a development funding agreement with Homes England and the council’s development management partner, Genr8 Kajima Regeneration, setting a framework governing how funding will be spent.