Concourse reaffirms commitment to £4m leisure scheme

THE organisation behind a proposed £4m leisure scheme at the
in Skelmersdale has reaffirmed its commitment to the project.



Skelmersdale Limited Partnership, a joint venture between London & Cambridge
 Properties (LCP) and Threadneedle Investments, has sought to reassure local
residents that it was pressing ahead with its plans for Concourse Shopping Centre, despite a rival application for a town centre scheme being given the go-ahead last week.

Planning approval was given for a town centre scheme partnered by St Modwen, West Lancashire Borough Council and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).



Jo Salmon, retail portfolio manager of London & Cambridge Properties,
 said: “While it is unhelpful for us that local authority has given a
competing scheme planning consent, we remain focused on our plans for the
Concourse.



“We are working very hard to bring a high-quality restaurants and a cinema
to the town and preparatory work has already started to prepare the second
floor for this much-needed facility for the town.



“There is no doubt that having a second scheme with consent, however
conditional, will bring uncertainty to the market and will make our job very
much more difficult, but we want to reassure locals, workers, shoppers and
existing businesses that we are pressing ahead with our exciting plans.”



Concourse was give planning permission by West Lancashire Borough Council in 
December last year for a multi-screen cinema and restaurants scheme creating at least 40 new jobs on top of the 800-plus already there.



Concourse is already in advanced talks with a number of high street
restaurant chains that are keen to be part of the new complex and hopes to
confirm the first signings soon.



LCP has substantial retail holdings situated in town centre shopping schemes
 in the North West including The Concourse Shopping Centre, Skelmersdale, and
The Hardshaw Centre, St Helens. In addition, the Wulfrun Centre,
Wolverhampton; Churchill Centre, Dudley; Park Place, Walsall; and Aldridge
in the West Midlands and the Wellington Centre, Aldershot, in the South.



Provincial holdings are located the length and breadth of the country,
catering for a wide range of independent and well-known high street names.