Interest grows in Knowsley retail project

Mar 26 2008 by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post

KNOWSLEY council has revealed that “two major contenders” are interested in opening a supermarket as part of the £15m regeneration of a crumbling 1960s shopping complex in Halewood.

Raven Court is being transformed as part of a scheme which will see the creation of new shops and other community facilities.

Negotiations are now under way between the developers and the un-named contenders to occupy Halewood’s first significant, purpose-built supermarket.

The first phase, to create an £8m public services building at Raven Court, should be complete by this autumn.

Work will then start on a new shopping centre for completion by the end of next year. The 17,000sq ft supermarket will be the main tenant in a scheme totalling around 33,000sq ft.

Although the existing shopping centre is now largely boarded-up, there are some retailers still operating.

The council has said it will only use compulsory purchase as a last resort to secure possession of the whole site.

Cllr Graham Morgan, Knowsley’s cabinet member for regeneration and neighbourhoods said: “It is excellent news that two well-known supermarkets are interested.

“We will do everything we can to help secure a deal with one of them.”