The council-owned shopping parade is set for a full refurbishment
Shops on Harris Drive in Bootle(Image: Google)
A shopping parade in one part of Merseyside is to be completely transformed, according to proposals put forward by Sefton Council, and will be funded by the “profits” from a now defunct housing scheme.
At a forthcoming cabinet meeting (December 4) Sefton Council will outline its case for the refurbishment of the retail units between 1-9 Harris Drive in Litherland ward. The local authority will recommend the proposal be funded by the overage receipt generated from the “St Elizabeths”/Klondyke Housing Market Renewal Initiative (HMRI) scheme.
Sefton Council’s HMRI was part of a £500m government project in 2013, designed to replace old housing stock with modern homes. It saw rows of terraced houses, that formed the Klondyke estate, being subject to Compulsory Purchase Orders.
In 2006, Sefton Council entered into an Overarching Development Agreement (ODA) with developer Bellway Homes to deliver new housing as part of the regeneration of the Klondyke/Hawthorne Road area of Bootle. The ODA included provision for overage – a share of any “profit” above the expected amount should the scheme perform better than anticipated.
The government at the time ended the HMRI programme seven years into what was supposed to be a 15-year programme, according the council report, and the premature end to the funding programme resulted in several sites not being redeveloped as originally planned. It was acknowledged one way to address this in future would be to utilise any overage proceeds resulting from the ODA.
Bellway had completed the final phase of the Klondyke scheme in 2022, and any overage payable could be finalised. The council said the amount was calculated was in line with the ODA and independently verified.
However, that total amount has not been published by Sefton Council and details of those figures will be presented privately, as it plans to exclude the press, and members of the public, from hearing those details.
The 1-9 Harris Drive shop units were originally acquired by the council via on the CPOs issued during the HMRI process with the intention of demolition and redevelopment. However, those initial plans were shelved after the HMRI programme ending prematurely.
It was envisaged the council would let the properties for a relatively short period prior to redevelopment, with the last lease agreed in 2024. All the shops are currently let and the council receives a total of rental income of £33,970 per annum.
In 2024, building services were requested to survey the shop units and produce estimated budget costs, according to the council report, this included works such as a replacement roof covering and firestopping within the roof voids, exterior tarmac resurfacing, and mechanical and electrical works.
The report added: “A refurbishment scheme would not only improve the quality and safety of the units, but also improve the overall visual appearance of the area, complimenting the adjacent housing development where the overage was generated.”
The report added: “Investment in the shop units will help ensure that they are in a satisfactory condition for existing and new tenants, reducing void periods due to vacancy. It will also help reduce the potential repairs liabilities for the council in future.”
The local authority said it will liaise with the existing tenants of the shop units to ensure they are fully informed throughout the process.
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