Stonebridge Cross set for £200m housing-led scheme

DEMOLITION work has begun on the 98-acre Stonebridge Cross site in north Liverpool ahead of a £200m housing-led redevelopment.

A remodelling of the site, which was once home to the Gilmoss estate, will be welcomed after several previous schemes, including a proposed Tesco project and a development by the now defunct David McLean homes, fell through.

The new development is being overseen by InLiverpool, an asset-backed partnership using council-owned land to bring forward major regeneration schemes. Plans for Stonebridge Cross include a new site for the St John Bosco school, 500 new homes, retail and commercial units and a new park. The site is the largest council-owned development plot in the city.

Council Leader Joe Anderson said: “This investment in Stonebridge Cross is long overdue, and I’m very pleased that we are now making it a reality. It is one of the key regeneration schemes taking place in Liverpool over the next three years and will benefit thousands of people for generations to come.

“We’re absolutely determined to drive forward the regeneration of our communities, and this fantastic development is proof that by working imaginatively with the private sector and local people we can deliver real, significant improvements, despite the difficult economic times.”

Councillor Ann O’Byrne, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety, and chair of InLiverpool, said: “I’m delighted work is starting at Stonebridge Cross – it’s fantastic news for local people.

“Improving our housing stock is a major priority for us, but the current economic challenges mean we need to do things differently. This development is a great example of how by taking an innovative approach, through our asset-backed vehicle, we can transform communities and deliver the type of good quality, affordable homes people have told us they want.”

InLiverpool is already working on a £200m project to redevelop a 62 acre site in nearby Norris Green. It is a partnership between the City Council and InPartnership – a regeneration consultancy owned by Edinburgh-based Sigma Capital.

A new planning application for the Stonebridge Cross site is set to be submitted during the summer. Demolition work is being carried out by 2020 Liverpool.