THE s200m revamp of one of Liverpools biggest retail parks has been delayed by a year.

Proposals to expand Edge Lane retail park by 40% creating 600,000 sq ft of shops and 1,500 jobs were approved by the government in March.

Work was due to start this summer, but the four-year build has been delayed until late 2012 due to the recession.

Developer Derwent Holdings has struggled to sign up enough retailers to take new space in the expanded development.

Liverpool council leader Joe Anderson said: A huge scheme like this is like a jigsaw, if one component is missing it does not work.

The issue for them was that they needed to secure the input [of tenants].

We have worked in genuine partnership and understand some of the difficulties that they face.

It is disappointing but we are in difficult financial times.

The plan involves building on the current Rathbone Park at the junction of Edge Lane and Rathbone Road.

Work on the replacement Victorian-style park will start in February, with completion in the autumn.

This will then result in a land swap with the council which will allow the existing retail park to be redeveloped.

Work on replacement business units is expected to start in spring 2012, with phase one work on the main site beginning in late 2012. Work will also be advanced to carry out much-needed improvements to properties on the Edge Lane corridor.

Derwent is also in advanced negotiations with Mersey Care NHS Trust for the development of a new hospital extension, which will see the demolition of the former Advent VW and Carpetworld site.