Dobbies gets go-ahead for Liverpool garden centre

Liverpool City Council has approved plans for an £8m Dobbies Garden World near Liverpool John Lennon Airport in Speke.

The centre will be constructed on an 8.78-acre site bought from Peel Land & Property off Speke Boulevard. The building will use sustainably sourced timber and other natural construction materials and will include energy efficient lighting systems and extensive rainwater recycling.

Pending final approval by the Government Office for the North West, Dobbies will confirm dates for construction to begin on site.

Stuart Wright, Dobbies' director of property, said: "Following the GONW finalisation, we plan to open our doors to customers in Liverpool during the 2011/2012 financial year and we look forward to planning for construction to start on site."

Dobbies Garden World, Speke will offer more than 10,000 plants, shrubs and trees and a specialist aquatics department. The centre will also house a Farm Foodhall offering locally grown produce from Merseyside and Cheshire.