Sefton Council has put forward Southport to benefit from up to £1 million investment

At its meeting on Friday, 26 July, the Combined Authority will be asked to approve up to £6 million – up to £1 million for each of its six local authorities – to support plans to revitalise town centres across the Liverpool City Region.

The Combined Authority agreed to commission the £6 million fund in October last year and since then the local authorities have been working up high-level investment programmes, identifying which town centres they wish to nominate, along with proposals for what they intend to do.

Those interventions include masterplan strategies, public realm improvements, physical and digital infrastructure, business support, town centre management and events and marketing activities.

Sefton Council plans to diversify Bootle town centre, including developing creative and digital sector opportunities, while there are a range of proposals for Southport aimed at making the town a classic seaside resort, including redeveloping the market, improving its historical features, and creating better links between the town centre and the seafront.

Councillor Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council, said: “Thriving town centres are a crucial element in delivering economic growth throughout Sefton. To support this goal, we have developed town centre investment and development frameworks for each of our town centres and the funding that we are bidding for will help us to meet some of our aspirations.

“If we secure investment from the Liverpool City Region it will allow us to diversify Bootle town centre with more creative, digital and health and wellbeing opportunities. While in Southport funding would support us to make the most of Southport’s seaside resort assets, mixing the old and new, and ensure we have a high quality leisure, retail, historic and public space offer.”