Work starts on £150m Project Jennifer

REGENERATION specialist St Modwen has started construction work on the £150m regeneration scheme ‘Project Jennifer’ on Great Homer Street in Liverpool.

The transformation of Great Homer Street will bring a new supermarket, district centre, homes and improved public spaces to North Liverpool.

Sainsbury’s has appointed building and civil engineering contractors McLaughlin & Harvey to build the new 67,000 q ft supermarket and started on site at the end of September.

St Modwen has appointed Caddick Construction to develop the new district centre and work will get underway in the coming weeks.

Project Jennifer, which is being delivered by St Modwen in partnership with Liverpool City Council and Sainsbury’s, will create more than 1,000 jobs in the North Liverpool Mayoral Development Zone.

As well as a new Sainsbury’s store, this major regeneration project will bring 80,000sq ft of retail space, 900 free customer car parking spaces, a petrol filling station, and a McDonald’s restaurant.

Major road improvements have been made, including a new junction linking Scotland Road to Great Homer Street and there will be improved links to Everton Park. The new ‘Greatie’ market facility formed an earlier phase of the scheme and opened its doors in 2014. There have been 102 new homes built, including 81 apartments specifically designed for the over 55s.

Paul Batho, projects director at St Modwen, said: “The commencement of construction work of the new Sainsbury’s and the district centre is a major milestone in the delivery of the regeneration of Great Homer Street and begins the countdown to project completion next year.

“There is a substantial investment being made in this part of the city and, when complete, Sainsbury’s and the new District Centre will boost the local economy bringing much needed jobs and vibrancy to this important part of the city.”

Nick Alston, Sainsbury’s project manager overseeing the build of the store, said: “This scheme has been a long time in the making and we’re delighted to be on site building our Great Homer Street store.  As a large supermarket, once complete, it will provide over 220 new local jobs, and will offer the local community a great range of both food and general merchandise on their doorstep.”

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson, said: ‘’Project Jennifer has been a keystone development that I was so keen to get underway as it had been delayed for many reasons and over a number of years.
 
“The project underlines what can be achieved when the public and private sector work together. This new investment, the new jobs and the new houses will all breathe new life into the community and will act as a vital catalyst in the wider regeneration of north Liverpool.”

To mark the milestone, St Modwen and Sainsbury’s joined the Anderson and Cabinet Member for Regeneration Cllr Malcolm Kennedy on site for a celebration to mark the official start of the construction phase of this popular project.

They were also joined by Beth Allen, a Year 9 student at Notre Dame Catholic College, who is the North West regional winner of a photography competition to celebrate the 30th anniversary of St Modwen.

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