£150 MILLION PROJECT JENNIFER MOVES FORWARD WITH CPO
Liverpool City Council has officially made the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) needed to progress the £150 million regeneration of Great Homer Street, signalling another major step forward for the project.
The CPO will enable the council and its development partner St. Modwen to move ahead with the acquisition of land needed to deliver the community-led regeneration project.
The scheme will transform the 45-acre site in North Liverpool, creating retail and employment floor space, new homes, improved public spaces and new community and leisure facilities. The scheme, known as Project Jennifer, will also feature a 110,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s supermarket – the largest food store to be built in Liverpool to date and will act as a catalyst for the wider redevelopment of North Liverpool.
In direct response to feedback from local residents, properties on Skirving Street will not be included in the CPO and will instead be integrated into the redevelopment plans, allowing residents to remain in their homes
Michelle Taylor, regional director at St. Modwen, said: “This decision is another major milestone for the community-led regeneration of Great Homer Street. There is still a great deal of work to be done but, with the CPO process officially underway and providing there are no major objections received, the scheme could start on site as early as 2012.
“Residents of Skirving Street told us that they wanted to stay in their homes and we have listened. The plans have been adapted and these properties will not be affected by the CPO.
“Thanks to the huge amount of public good will towards the plans, Sainsbury’s commitment to the scheme and the dedication of our partners Liverpool City Council, Project Jennifer is once again moving forward on its own merits.”
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Councillor Malcolm Kennedy said: “It’s great news that this hugely important scheme, supported by the local community, is moving forward. It will transform the Great Homer Street area and make a massive difference to people’s lives.
“The community has needed something like this for a long time, so it’s fantastic that we are now a significant step closer to it becoming a reality. It will help transform North Liverpool, provide vital new facilities and create more than 1,000 jobs. I am optimistic that we will now see this scheme progressing very quickly.”
The decision signals the start of a statutory period during which any objections to the CPO will be heard. If challenges are lodged, the CPO would be referred to a public enquiry which would likely to be held later this year.
St. Modwen has begun negotiations with land owners in accordance with Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) regulations and several properties have already been purchased.
Once completed, Project Jennifer will deliver a new food store, 80,000 sq ft of additional retail units, 80,000 sq ft of light industrial units, 480 new homes, and 40,000 sq ft of community facilities, including a new market and community health centre.
