From Building Design
Kirkby kicks out Broadway Malyan's Tesco / Everton FC scheme
13 May, 2008
Cabe says the mixed-use scheme is 'a lost opportunity'
Broadway Malyan’s design for a £400 million mixed-use development in Kirkby including a new stadium for Everton Football Club has been sent back to the drawing board after being slammed by Cabe and neighbouring local authorities.
The scheme includes a 22,000sq m Tesco store along with a further 63,500sq m of retail, the 50,000-seat stadium and residential, medical and car-parking facilities. It has been billed as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to create a world-class development in the Merseyside town.
But lead developer Tesco will now slash the retail element of the project by around 25% after damning criticism from Cabe and local councils concerned about its effect on their shopping centres.
In its report, Cabe’s design review panel said: “This scheme is, at best, a lost opportunity. [It] will have a detrimental impact on the town and is not of a standard that Kirby deserves… we do not think it should receive planning.
“We do not think this model [for the retail element] has sufficient flexibility or credibility as the basis for a distinctive new town centre.”
It also expressed concern that the design quality of the stadium would suffer from being delivered through design and build.
Sefton Council said the scale of the project contravened planning rules. “It is disproportionate to Kirkby’s existing role and status and would seriously prejudice the vitality and viability of other centres,” its planning committee stated.
“The impacts are of such potential significance that we would ask the Government Office of the North West to call-in this application if [it approved] it.”
However, both Tesco and Everton FC insisted they would press ahead with the scheme. A spokesman for Tesco said: “We’re looking at some amendments [to the planning application]. We’re proud of the fact that we’re willing to listen to the community.
Broadway Malyan declined to comment.
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