Sefton sets out 20-year vision for Bootle
The council hopes to adopt an area action plan in order to “direct and encourage the right kinds of development and investment into the area”.
Sefton Council has launched a consultation on the regulatory document, which sets out a clear vision for Bootle for the next 20 years in order to influence planning decisions. The consultation will run until 6 November and can be accessed at sefton.gov.uk.
Once adopted, the area action plan will form part of the development plan for Sefton alongside the local plan.
Cllr Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council, said: “Our vision for Bootle aims to create a thriving town centre that works for all people, brings investment and interest to an area filled with opportunities and builds a happier, healthier, more resilient population.”
The area action plan focuses on five key areas: design, housing, employment, public realm, and town centre improvements.
Design
Proposals seek to create places, buildings, and spaces that “reflect the best of local character, work well for everyone, promote healthy active lifestyles, look good, last well, and will adapt to the future needs of residents and businesses.”
New developments should respond positively to their surroundings and encourage active use in public areas, with Sefton Council calling for the creation of site-specific design codes.
For the town’s canal corridor, developments should promote movement, increase access, and provide leisure activities, while enhancing the area’s industrial heritage.
Housing
Sefton Council wants to provide the right number and type of new homes for Bootle.
Affordable housing is a key part of Sefton Council’s proposals. The council is calling for developments to provide at least 15% affordable housing provision where more than 15 homes are being delivered.
In terms of housing mix, a minimum of 25% of market housing should be one- or two-bedroom properties, while a minimum of 40% should have three bedrooms.
Employment
The authority wants to protect Bootle’s most sustainable employment areas and the jobs they provide.
The area action plan highlights a number of sites designated for industrial, office, and general employment development.
Those designated for industrial use are Canal Street, Maritime Enterprise Park, Hawthorn Road, Orrell Mount, and Regent Road.
If approved, Bootle Office Quarter will remain as the main site of office location, with buildings such as St John’s House and Magdalen House protected from conversion or redevelopment. The amount of protected floor space for office use is around 455,000 sq ft.
The plan also prioritises the refurbishment of the Town Hall complex to be brought back into civic use.
Public realm
A key vision for Bootle is “making space for nature.”
All existing parks, open spaces, and playing fields will be protected from development, while all major proposals should consider how access to nearby parks can be created or improved.
The council also seeks to improve access for pedestrians and cyclists, along with better signage and crossing points.
Town centre improvements
Sefton Council wants to transform Bootle town centre into a “focus of activity for the town and creates a place that residents and businesses are proud of”.
This would be achieved through the redevelopment of vacant land and buildings, as well as the regeneration of key areas, most notably the Strand Shopping Centre.
The authority set out its £20m strategy for the development of the shopping centre in May, with the vision to provide a new focus for shopping, community, and leisure.
Maher said: “Our vision of offering a diverse range of services within the Strand and the transformation of the surrounding areas would not be possible without council ownership of the shopping centre and the loyalty of the people who go there.
“Reimagining what the town centre is for and expanding its offering will help us benefit Bootle for generations to come”, he continued.
“The work we are all doing, both at the council and through our fantastic community champions, is a catalyst for further regeneration and good growth that strengthens the local economy, attracts more investment into the town, and improves the health, wellbeing and life chances of local residents.”
Get the communication right. first. Pull the strand Down. Smaller vision and let the local community decide whots happens. Not the council who haven’t got a clue.
By Gary smith
Does this mean that the Rimrose Valley is protected from any future development as it is an existing open space.
By Mike
Is strand house getting nocked down
By Connor mccall
Twenty years? Can’t wait. No literally, I can’t wait,
By Roy
The Strand should be redeveloped incrementally with selective demolitions opening up the canal-side initially, but also the big squares, originally conceived as open- air, letting the air back in and allowing trees to grow and nature to flourish. Maybe people will then want to linger in cafés and restaurants if Sefton can get that right!
By Pool of Life
Need to do the basics first clean the streets and cut the grass
By G roach
20 years for that?! Would be done in a few years in other cities.
By Anonymous
They need to start addressing the state of the tree area in Irlam road right outside 124 Irlam road its a dirty scruffy eyesore on a main road ..in the winter it’s dangerous 3 years they told me they were to be taken down but no ..its so embarrassing the disgusting state of it on a main road
By Patricia taylor
We all know what 20 years means in Liverpool City Region more on the lines of never !!!!!!
By Anonymous
The density seems very very low, a few blocks like the new Elephant Park in London would work well here
By GetItBuilt!
I will believe it when I see it,there is perfectly know golf club that you lot cannot even afford to maintain so how the hell are you going to finance the regeneration of Bootle.
By Joe McDonald
The sooner the better!
By Anonymous
Stop throwing our hard earned money down the drain. Bootle is a hole and nothing you can spend our money on is going to change that.
By Anonymous
Is the strand being knocked down and why more housing? What we need is decent affordable shops, were we have a choice, with more variety. Less charity shops or bookies. May be a regular open air markets and green spaces. We have enough new houses being built with no extra shops, banks and schools.
By A Wright
@ Gary, re housing, sorry Gary but often when you let the community decide you end up with suburban style housing with front and back gardens which is not appropriate in a town like Bootle.
What is more suitable is good quality terraced town-houses with back gardens only, plus tree-lined streets that Bootle residents will be proud off.
By Anonymous
The big Northern land grab is here, don’t believe that any of these Tory capitalists actually give a hoot about our community,
By Anon
Ye right about the trees on Irlam Road they’re a disgrace, needs sorting there
By Anonymous
Funny can find money for Bootle again but not Southport Pier !!
By PR
Like the cruise terminal and Liverpool Waters and Littlewoods Studios !
By Anonymous
A business opposite tj hughes is being moved out after 18 years for another charity shop . Not fair
By Business moved after 18 years
This type of proposal should have happened years ago oh wait a minute it did ? And nothing happened ? The Strand shopping centre had so much potential but all parties involved in this improvement plan don’t realise this. They are all much too late to regenerate the area because the Strand shopping centre is hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Because of lack of investment from Sefton Council and the investors. Do you guys think that 20 years of rebuilding will be sufficient to cover up what what should have happened more than 20 ago. Just remember actions speak louder than words.
By John
Bootle seems dead since HMRC offices have closed with employees moving to the city centre how will that gap be filled
By Buck
The rumoured airport definitely isn’t happening then? Was always a long shot but why hold initial discussions if the funding was never there? Years wasted
By Hasim Sheikh Shabaz
The street cleaning and flytipping in area of Bootle from Hugh Baird to Liverpool boundary needs sorting first. It is disgusting living here and no matter how ofter you phone Council or do online requests nothing happens. I have emailed Councillors to complain about street cleaning and have never had a reply which says it all. Nobody is interested in this run down part of Bootle. I agree regenerate but get basics right first, we get nothing in this part of Bootle not even a street cleaner.
Also, the drunks and drug addicts with all their fighting need removing from front of Strand, it is so intimidating, especially for elderly.
By Anonymous
What will happen to the shops, will I still be able to visit a butcher?.
By Ian Hay
Enough money has been blown on Bootle. The Strand is a money pit that Sefton Council still want to pour money into. My taxes are for Southport not Bootle so find the money for the Pier and stop squandering our Council Tax on areas which are dead weight.
By SaveOurPier
All the council need to do now, is tell the planning department, but as in the past 30yrs, these ambitious plans never filter through!
By Anonymous
Thanks for that! I hope it will be what you are planning! I love Bootle*
By Anonymous
Looks more like a garden centre than a shopping mall
By Anonymous