Ambitious proposals to improve the public realm in Southport Market Quarter are due to take place this autumn.
The £2.5 million scheme is the first phase of the Les Transformations de Southport project being led by Sefton Council.
It is due to be carried out by Balfour Beatty and will involve the pedestrianisation of Market Street, while widening the pavements on King Street to make it one-way.
Saffron Council is looking towards early September to commence the first phase of the main works.
This is to keep disruption to local businesses to a minimum during the busy summer period.
The Market Quarter area has been a regeneration success story since Sefton Council’s £1.4 million conversion of Southport Market in 2021 into a vibrant new food, drink and events venue.
The investment in the market has led to the opening and expansion of a number of new independent local businesses nearby including Season Coffee, Bar and Kitchen; Southport Market Blinds; Eva’s Sewing Room; The Cake Box; The Plant Room and more.
Saturday (6th April 2024) saw the opening of the expanded Quicksilver Music.
The new Quicksilver Music record store, owned by Dave Thornley, has now opened at 1 Market Street in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
New owners are getting ready to convert the former McDonald’s building and the former Coronation pub site.
The work to improve roads around Southport Market aims to attract more new businesses to the area and make it a more pleasant environment for visitors.
A report by Sefton Council published in November last year said: “The main aim is to provide more public space and restrict traffic, so that more people can enjoy the market and its surroundings, creating opportunities for new and existing businesses to develop and expand in that area.”
Changes are being proposed with the aim of improving Southport’s ‘Market Quarter’ – and local people and businesses are being asked what they think after Sefton Council and Southport Town Deal launched their ‘Les Transformations de Southport’ consultationLes Transformations de Southport is one of the major schemes of Southport Town Deal, which is currently supporting the construction of the new £73 million Marine Lake Events Centre on the site of the former Southport Theatre.
Work is also due to take place soon to improve Chapel Street and Eastbank Street.
In the report, Sefton Council’s Assistant Director Highways and Public Protection said:
“The council has received funding from the Southport Town Deal to deliver a number of projects in Southport.
“These include improvements to the Public Realm under the title of Les Transformations.
“A scheme has been developed which is centred around Southport Market.
The first birthday celebrations at Southport Market. Photo by Mark Shirley
“The provision of infrastructure to underpin economic growth was one of the three themes of the Town Investment Plan for Southport and this project provides the transport and public realm infrastructure needed to support the ambition of the Town Fund and the changing patterns of travel demand and movement around the town.
“The overall project is expected to cost approximately £12.75m and £2.5m of funding has been allocated from the Town Deal to enable the delivery of the first phase of the project.
“The first phase focuses on the changes to Market Street, King Street, Eastbank Street and Chapel Street.
“The main aim is to provide more public space and restrict traffic, so that more people can enjoy the market and its surroundings, creating opportunities for new and existing businesses to develop and expand in that area.”
The scheme creates a traffic free section on Market Street alongside the market, providing a new street environment that will provide additional space for pedestrians.
This will require converting the existing carriageway to a new paved surface that will provide level access for pedestrians across the full width of the street but which can still be used for service and delivery vehicles at certain times.
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