£400,000 plan revealed to repair canopy at historic Cambridge Arcade and Walks in Southport

Nearly £400,000 will be spent to improve the canopy at historic Cambridge Walks and Cambridge Arcade in Southport. 

It is part of nearly £2million which Sefton Council is spending on improving a number of buildings in the borough which require ‘immediate intervention’. . 

The funding will be used to deliver a range of ‘Priority 1’ schemes i.e. those in greatest need or where works link in with other ongoing schemes. 

Cambridge Walks and Cambridge Arcade were constructed in the 1870s and are a key link between Chapel Street and Lord Street, with a further entrance out onto Eastbank Street. 

The investment will be welcomed with redevelopment taking in the area. Work is currently taking place to transform the former BHS building into 30 Prestige Stay aparthotels on the upper floors, with new shops and a pub on the ground floor. 

Sefton Council is also due to create a new Enterprise Arcade for new businesses in Crown Buildings, at the Eastbank Street end of the arcade. 

Sefton Council has allocated £394,000 for canopy repairs at the arcade. 

Other buildings set to benefit include: 

Southport Town Hall – Roof repairs – Council Chamber & East Extension – £257,000 

Bootle Town Hall –- Roof repairs – Main Building, Initial Phase – £876,000 

Various Buildings – Health & Safety Works – £272,000 

Cambridge Arcade and Cambridge Walks in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

Sefton Council estimates that it would cost nearly £20million to carry out works at all the buildings in its estate which are judged Priority 1 (requiring immediate intervention)m Priority 2, (requiring short term intervention) and Priority 3 (requiring medium term intervention).

In his report, Sefton Council Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services Stephan Van Arendsen said: “We have recently engaged agency staff to assist in developing this programme of work and they have recently formulated, using historical asset management information, a range of priority schemes which can now be put forward for consideration. The plan is currently based on addressing the greatest needs within the corporate property portfolio and focuses on asset sustainability, ensuring the fabric is both wind and weatherproof, along with addressing any known Health and Safety concerns.

“In very broad terms the most urgent needs have been broken down into 3 subcategories consisting of: Priority 1, requiring immediate intervention. Priority 2, requiring short term intervention. Priority 3, requiring medium term intervention.

“The resource requirements to deal with all three priority categories currently stands at £19.55m.

“This can be broken down by Priority 1 at £9.35m, Priority 2 at £4.35m and Priority 3 at £5.85m.

“It is clear that the immediate need is much greater than originally thought and further consideration will be required as to how the additional requirements can be met.

“A provisional programme has been drafted and this covers a range of work at several sites.” 

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