Knowsley Council has announced that it is in dialogue with supermarket operator Lidl to be the latest retail name to invest in Kirkby.
In January this year, the Council’s Cabinet gave the green light to a further 29,000 sq ft of new modern retail development in the town centre and conversations with potential occupiers have been ongoing since then.
Cllr Tony Brennan, Knowsley Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development said:
“I am delighted that Kirkby has once again proven to be an attractive proposition for retailers and that we have been able to advance our discussions with Lidl. I know there has been some speculation in the community as to who or what might fill this new retail space, so I hope this will be really welcome and positive news for our residents.
“This latest progress on the Council’s plans to regenerate Kirkby responds directly to residents specifically asking for a diverse retail offer. We have listened and have been working hard to deliver more retail in the town.”
Stuart Jardine, Regional Head of Property at Lidl GB said:
“We’ve seen demand for Lidl products continue to rise across Merseyside, so we’re incredibly excited to unveil plans for our first-ever store in Kirkby. It’s been great to work with Knowsley Council on this exciting milestone, as we believe that Kirkby has so much to offer, welcoming new residents and more visitors into the town. We’re excited at the chance to be a part of the town’s ongoing development.”
Lidl is working up a planning application for its state-of-the-art supermarket, which will be submitted shortly. The detailed proposals will be subject to consultation as part of the planning application process.
Since Knowsley Council purchased the town centre back in 2019, £43.8 million has been ploughed into Kirkby. This already includes the creation of 94,000 sq ft of new retail space including a new Morrisons supermarket and petrol filling station, Home Bargains, Taco Bell, Pure Gym, The Coffee House and Willowbrook Home and Fashion. This has helped to create an additional 500 jobs for local people as well as boosting the local economy by £15.3 million per annum.
In addition, 940 new homes have been built in the town over the last 5 years and with hundreds more new homes recently approved for the land South of Cherryfield Drive, market demand has risen with more retailers now considering Kirkby as a destination for investment.
Furthermore, the multi-storey car park in the town has been transformed into a sustainable travel hub and a new train station is now operational at Headbolt Lane, providing greater access in and around Kirkby for residents, workers and visitors.
Added to this, there’s also been confirmation that under the Government’s Plan for Neighbourhoods, Kirkby is set to receive a further £19.5 million over the next ten years and its certainly seems like a positive moment in the regeneration of this town.
Cllr Brennan added:
“As a resident of Kirkby I am so pleased to see everything positive that is happening in the town. The Financial Times has named Kirkby one of the Top 3 places in the UK recovering well after the pandemic and with footfall up by a massive 160% in recent years the future is looking really bright for Kirkby and its residents.”