![\"John,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_John-53-grew-up-in-Huyton-credit-LDRS.jpg\")
John, 53, grew up in Huyton(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\nOne part of Merseyside is set to be completely transformed after plans were announced for a \u00a3200m regeneration projectJohn, 53, grew up in Huyton(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n
People in a Merseyside community hope a \u00a3200m regeneration project will take inspiration from the past, and help make Huyton \u2018boss\u2019 again.<\/p>\n
Huyton<\/a> is set to be completely transformed in the next few years, after proposals were submitted for \u2018Huyton Village\u2019, including the redevelopment of seven acres of Knowsley<\/a> Council-owned land. Late last year, the local authority announced it ambitions to redevelop the town centre and create a \u2018vibrant\u2019 mixed-use commercial district, a new council HQ, affordable homes, and new leisure and cultural facilities.<\/p>\n In August, the Liverpool ECHO<\/a> reported on Genr8 Kajima Regeneration Limited (GKRL) plans to submit a planning application following a public consultation. That consultation has now concluded and a hybrid application has been submitted for St Michael\u2019s Place, incorporating a 130-bed hotel and a central village green which is expected to cost approximately \u00a3200m<\/a>.<\/p>\n The ECHO<\/a> visited Huyton Village with some of the marketing photos to ask local people what they thought of the plans. The first person we encountered was Anna, a mum-of-six walking through the village with two of her children and her best friend.<\/p>\n Anna has lived in Huyton all her life and acknowledged the recent investment in the village. She said: \u201cIn terms of all this money coming in, it would be great if some of that\u2019s spent on something for the kids to do as there\u2019s not much for them.<\/p>\n \u201cBut we\u2019ve just been saying how we used to come here when we were growing up and there was clothes shops, but now it\u2019s all cafes and restaurants. We\u2019d be here for hours doing bits of shopping and there was loads of places to go, but sadly a lot of them are gone now.\u201d<\/p>\n These sentiments were shared by John, 53, who also grew up in Huyton. Although he\u2019s moved out the area, he comes back regularly, and said he has great memories, particularly his heydays breakdancing on Derby Road.<\/p>\n John was very fond of the old shops in Huyton village. Pointing towards where the \u201cMall\u201d used to be, he said: \u201cSee down there, that was heavy, there was a big shop called \u2018Fantasy World\u2019 down the bottom.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a shop called \u2018All Man Kind\u2019 and that\u2019s where we used to get all our school uniforms from. Then there was a place \u2018Incognito\u2019, that was another clothes shop and also in the other square there was \u2018Pride & Joy\u2019 where we used to get all our Adidas stuff. It used to be boss\u201d.<\/p>\n In May, the ECHO<\/a> reported on the fate of Huyton\u2019s indoor market<\/a> \u2013 known locally as the \u201cMall\u201d \u2013 which has been subject to much speculation over the years. The retail complex was loved for its bustling stores and friendly atmosphere, with people travelling from all over Merseyside to see what was on offer.<\/p>\n Despite the popularity of shops such as \u2018Fantasy World\u2019, the \u2018Mall\u2019 started to decline after a number of outlets ceased trading and eventually shut down permanently before being purchased by Knowsley Council<\/a> in 2022.<\/p>\n Asked to respond to some of the plans for Huyton Village, John said he will always want the best for Huyton and hopes the money will be spent wisely. \u201cThere needs to be more shops and they need to get back to the old school and give people some proper places to go like we used to have.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u00a3200m is a lot of money, but I\u2019d like to see that spread around because there\u2019s areas in Huyton crying out for a bit of investment.\u201d<\/p>\n We met Dorothy Taylor, 64, as she was enjoying a hot drink outside The Coffee House. Known to her friends as \u2018Dot\u2019, she has lived in Huyton for 30 years, she said: \u201cI love it here, it\u2019s so nice and I have nothing but good things to say because we\u2019ve got a really good community.<\/p>\n \u201cI do miss the shops we used to have, but on the other side, we have all these bistros and restaurants and I love them. I also heard there might be a cinema coming here and that would be ideal for me and I\u2019d be in there all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Huyton](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_Huyton-Village-shopping-area-Photo-by-Colin-Lane.jpg\")
Huyton Village shopping area on Derby Road. Photo by Colin Lane(Image: Colin Lane\/Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n![\"Artist's](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_Artists-impression-of-Huyton-Village-Genr8-Kajima.jpg\")
Artist’s impression of Huyton Village(Image: Genr8 Kajima)<\/p>\n
![\"Dorothy](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_Dorothy-Taylor-64-has-lived-in-Huyton-for-30-years-credit-LDRS.jpg\")
Dorothy Taylor, 64, is known by friends as ‘Dot'(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n