Liverpool’s £100m Edge Lane transformation hits new milestone

Work on a multi-million pound retail and leisure development described as the “final piece of Liverpool’s retail puzzle” is moving forward rapidly, with a new steel structure coming out of the ground this week.

Building firm Caddick Construction has used over 250 tonnes of steel to create a retail unit on the site of the former Blockbusters store and Subway, across the junction of Edge Lane and Rathbone Road.

Composed of 40,000 sq ft of indoor space and a 10,000 sq ft outdoor area, the unit will be joined by two others offering 10,000 sq ft each.

The three buildings will form part of the 727,000 sq ft Liverpool Shopping Park and be geared towards lifestyle, home and interiors retailers.

In total, the £100m development will comprise 41 retail units, 1,500 parking spaces and leisure elements. Once complete at the end of 2017, the scheme is expected to create over 3,000 jobs.

Liverpool Shopping Park is owned by The Derwent Group.

David Lyons, the property firm’s chief executive, said: “Work on site is progressing very well indeed.

“Weeks of site clearance and demolition are complete and we can now see Liverpool Shopping Park coming out of the ground.”

He added: “We are delivering this mixed-use commercial development in distinct phases, and these units will be one of the first parts of Liverpool Shopping Park to be completed.”

Caddick Construction MD Andrew Murray commented: “This is a very exciting stage. The steel structure means you can see the progress that is being made and the shape the park will take.

“It’s an important milestone in this project, everything we do from now will be supported by this all important structure and the people of Liverpool will be able to watch their new shopping centre develop.”