The Marine Lake Events Centre in Southport has been described as one of the ‘most significant and complex’ regeneration projects in the region
The Marine Lake Event Centre development site(Image: LDRS)
Sefton Council has confirmed a major update to its centrepiece regeneration project in Southport. The £73m Marine Lake Events Centre (MLEC) is one of a number of schemes being developed across the borough, but is by far the most ambitious, and the most costly.
MLEC was approved after the successful bid for £37.5m of Town Deal funding for Southport and has benefited from £17.7m of funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. The site clearance is already well underway and it was expected that construction works would start at the end of last year.
In September last year, the Liverpool ECHO reported on a major blow to Sefton Council’s plans for the development of MLEC when it confirmed the Pre-Construction Service Agreement (PCSA) with Graham Construction (GC) had been terminated. It was the second time a construction agreement has been terminated after the local authority announced it had ended the pre-construction services agreement with Kier Group back in December 2023.
The impasse led to a row breaking out, with Tory group leader Cllr Mike Prendergast submitting a motion on the topic, which he presented to the council chamber (November 13): “To lose one contractor is unfortunate, but to lose two seems incompetent.
The Marine Lake Event Centre development site(Image: Handout)
“We’ve demolished the old Southport theatre, flattened the site, promised the world, and yet, after all that, there isn’t even a signed contract to build the thing. That’s not progress, that’s paralysis.”
Responding to the motion, deputy leader of Sefton Council, Cllr Paulette Lappin said: “The motion refers to contractors walking away, but these are mutual decisions, because we must ensure we secure the best possible price for the scheme, and we believe that the change made supports that outcome. We have multiple interested parties now and we are aiming to enter into a pre-constructed service agreement (PCSA) this month.”
Sefton Council has now confirmed it has entered into a PCSA with VINCI Construction which is now the ‘preferred contractor’ for the creation of the Marine Lake Events Centre. The ECHO understands that VINCI will now partner with the council’s delivery team to finalise plans, and ensure that main construction works begin on site later in 2026, once a main contract is signed.
In March 2024, Sefton Council awarded the demolition contract for Bootle’s Strand shopping centre to VINCI Construction after a ‘rigorous’ tender process. For that project, VINCI committed to creating 20 new jobs for local applicants during the demolition phase, plus the introduction of work placements for school leavers and care experienced young people.
The construction firm also revealed plans to work with groups including Sefton@Work, Hugh Baird College and YKids, to ensure the local community are engaged in the demolition programme, particularly residents most immediately affected by the works.
Artist’s impression of Marine Lake Events Centre(Image: Handout)
The council said its prior experience of working with VINCI gives it ‘added confidence’ the firm’s ability to deliver the MLEC scheme, which is one of the ‘most significant and complex’ regeneration projects in the region. In the meantime, the local authority said residents and visitors to Southport will see major civil engineering works starting in February.
Cllr Marion Atkinson, Leader of Sefton Council, said: “We are pleased to welcome VINCI Building as the preferred contractor for MLEC.
“Having already collaborated with VINCI Building in the pre-construction phase, we know they share our vision and commitment to deliver this complex and ambitious scheme successfully.
“The brand new venue will create new jobs, attract hundreds of thousands of visitors, and provide a world-class events venue for our borough and the Liverpool City Region. We remain fully committed to seeing this project through and securing the long-term economic and cultural benefits it will bring for all of us.”
Similar to its broader offer in Bootle, the Regional Director for VINCI Building, Gary Hughes said it will look to collaborate with local businesses and the Southport community in delivering the MLEC project, he added: “The benefits for the whole area will be substantial, both throughout the construction and long after completion, as we help drive forward Sefton Council’s vision of attracting major events to Southport.”