Planning update: Edge Lane and Dobbies approved; Merepark hotel deferred

A MAJOR redevelopment of a retail park on Liverpool’s Edge Lane has been approved by city planners.

Derwent Holdings’ £200m scheme will redevelop Edge Lane Retail Park but also take in some surrounding land, including a park, to create 890,000 sq ft of commercial development, retail and leisure units and 1,800 parking places.

Derwent, the property group owned by tycoon Albert Gubay, has previously said it was ready to start work as soon as it was granted consent. Read the full story here.

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PLANNERS in Liverpool have approved a vast, six hectare garden centre at the Boulevard Business and Leisure Park in Speke.

But the scheme is so large it must receive final approval from central Government.

The 160,000 sq ft Dobbies Garden World will have a large outdoor areas and a specialist aquatics department. It will also include a farm foodhall, offering locally grown produce and a restaurant. The company said it will invest £8m in the centre which will create 120 jobs.

Owned by North West property giant Peel, Boulevard Business and Leisure Park is a proposed mixed-use development with offices, industrial units and leisure facilities.

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ALTRINCHAM developer Merepark will have to wait to find out if it will be allowed to convert a five-storey 1960s building in Liverpool city centre into a 108-bedroom hotel.

Planners deferred a decision on its plans for the 7,000 sq ft site on Crosshall St, known as the Tinlings Building. It is empty but was previously used for offices.

Officers had recommended approval when the planning committee met yesterday but councillors wanted to see more information about arrangements for car parking.

If approved it is expected to become a budget hotel. Merepark has agreed terms with an operator but has not yet revealed who it is.