THE first images of the final part of the £75m redevelopment of New Brighton were unveiled yesterday during a sneak preview of the almost completed Floral Pavilion theatre.

The flagship building – described by its architect Ken Martin as “iconic” – is to be handed back to the council next week, ahead of a glittering reopening by Ken Dodd next month.

As workmen busily put the finishing touches, the rest of the Neptune Developments scheme was unveiled.

Chief executive of Neptune, Steve Parry, pointed to the remarkable nature of any scheme of this size and ambition continuing in the midst of the current financial crisis.

But he said: “The commercial property market has ground to a halt and this scheme is unusual in going forward in the New Year.

“But we have pre-let many of the units and we are able to move forward.”

He said they plan to submit detailed planning applications shortly, and was optimistic, despite the credit crunch, that, after seven years in preparation, the New Brighton redevelopment was going ahead.

“The whole development is designed to bring people back to New Brighton.” he said.

And despite the furore which met their plans to “anchor” the scheme with a supermarket, he insisted this would help keep the resort popular even during winter.

Following a public inquiry in 2006 which saw the developers lose out, the regeneration plan was reborn.

The Floral Pavilion was the initial phase, which had to be completed this year to retain grant money for the project, ahead of the next phase of the seafront regeneration plan.

The second phase features a large Morrisons supermarket, a six-screen digital cinema, an open-air pool or Lido, and health club. There will also be restaurants, cafes and bars, which the council stress will be “family-oriented”.

Plans for a block of 143 seafront flats were scrapped, to be replaced by a budget hotel with 60 beds.

Wirral Council leader Steve Foulkes joined the tour of the centre and praised Neptune and builders Keir North West for completing the building so rapidly.

“My first impression is that it’s fantastic.”

Ken Martin, who designed the Floral Pavilion theatre, said it was a great day for him to see his vision realised.

LETTERS SPECIAL: PAGE 8

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