'We took the bull by the horns in St Helens revamp'

10 hours ago

Claire HamiltonLiverpool City Region political reporter

News image — Anthony Burns said he understood residents' concerns about the current quality and variety of shops in St Helens

BBC Anthony Burns sits in a radio studio, a blue microphone and control desk are visible in the background. He smiles at the camera. He has short dark hair and a stubbly beard. He wears a dark suit jacket with a pink, open-collar shirt underneath. — Anthony Burns said he understood residents' concerns about the current quality and variety of shops in St Helens

The almost complete redevelopment of St Helens is a "once in a lifetime chance" for the town, its council leader has said.

Phase one of the huge project is under way, and the building site is impossible to miss.

The 40-year-old Hardshaw shopping centre has been demolished to make way for a hotel, new market hall, 65 new homes, shops, a new and extended bus station linked to the rail station, and new public spaces.

The town centre transformation is being funded by £69.2m from St Helens Borough Council and two Town Deal government grants totalling £10.5m.

A digger is behind a blue fence moving a huge pile of concrete after the demolition of a shopping centre in St Helens town centre. An office block and other buildings are seen in the background behind the building site. — The first phase of the redevelopment of St Helens is under way

Council leader Anthony Burns told BBC Radio Merseyside the local authority had "taken the bull by the horns", knowing the future of the town centre was a priority for residents.

He acknowledged there was currently some disruption in the town but pointed out: "Unfortunately regeneration takes time, it takes time to knock down buildings.

"You can't regenerate it without doing what we are doing, and we know it's disruptive.

"We won't be doing this again for a long, long time and it's important we get the tone right."

'Concerns understood'

Local people have raised concerns about the current quality of shops in the town.

Some told the BBC there were too many vape shops.

Burns said he understood their worries.

He said: "My personal view on vaping, if you see too many of them in one place, it can bring the look and the feel of the place down."

But he added the council could only act within the "confines of the law" when it came to limiting the number of these types of businesses.

"We hope when this regeneration is complete and we've got the hotel and the market it will feel like a completely different place," he said.

Burns said he had ordered a review of parking charges in the town centre, aware of the competition from retail parks which offer free parking.

However, he said parking charges also generated much-needed income for the council, so a balance had to be struck.

Finally, he praised business owners who had remained loyal to St Helens town centre.

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