Welcome to our online consultation for the proposed employment development at Bridle Road, Bootle.

Total Developments (NW) Ltd is seeking to create a highly sustainable employment location to deliver much needed jobs in Bootle and fulfil the development potential of the Site.

This website forms part of the Pre-Application Consultation process which is being undertaken prior to the submission of a planning application. To deliver the best possible development, we are reaching out to the local community to ensure we understand local issues. This website includes an online feedback form which provides an opportunity to leave constructive feedback on the emerging plans for the Site.

The Site

The Site extends to approximately 9 hectares and is located at the western fringe of Sefton Business Park, Bootle. It formerly comprised office floorspace across several buildings, the largest being 10 storeys high, with accompanying car parking. However, the Site has been vacant since 2021 when Santandar closed their office operations and a number of buildings have now been demolished.

The Site is bound to the north by an Army Reserve Centre, allotments, and employment provision; to the east and south by employment provision; and to the west by George Masters Way with amenity green space beyond. Vehicular access to the Site is obtained from Bridle Road to the southeast of the Site via Farriers Way, and via George Masters Way to southwest.

The Site has long been an employment location, having been opened by Girobank in 1968 as its national headquarters until operations were passed onto Alliance & Leicester in 1990, and then Santander in 2008.

Why Here?

We are seeking to deliver employment development at the Site as it constitutes brownfield land within the urban area and has a long history of employment use.

The Site is sustainable, suitable, and appropriate for employment development, as confirmed by Sefton Council. On the Council’s adopted proposal map which supports its Local Plan, the Site is located within an Existing Employment Area, where the principle of employment development is acceptable. In addition, Sefton Council would like to see the Site remain in employment use, with office, light industrial, general industrial, and storage and distribution uses considered acceptable.

The Site also benefits from advantageous highway connectivity which is a positive for future businesses and would help to limit vehicle movements through residential areas. The A5036 is located approximately 450m to the north of the Site, an arterial road linking Liverpool Docks to the motorway network (M58/M57 and M6). Bridle Road is also a bus route with regular services to Liverpool City Centre and The Marian Way designated centre.

Proposed Development

Total Developments (NW) Ltd is proposing to submit a ‘full’ planning application for approximately 36,004sqm of employment floorspace and other necessary supporting infrastructure. The proposal would include green infrastructure, sustainable drainage system, access upgrades, and ecological enhancements.

Nine employment units are proposed at the Site of varying sizes to meet market requirements. The proposed employment units would contain several loading docks and sufficient yard space to enable to the turning of HGVs. Car and HGV parking will be provided in line with best practice and the Council’s adopted parking standards. There will be sufficient parking within the Site to ensure there are no off-site parking issues that could negatively impact the local highway network and surrounding areas.

Vehicular access to the Site is obtained from Bridle Road to the southeast of the Site via Farriers Way, and via George Masters Way to southwest. Access points will also provide safe pedestrian access to the Site.

The scheme is still subject to detailed design considerations and as such all the feedback and comments received will help shape the final proposals in conjunction with on going technical work.

Landscape Strategy

A comprehensive landscaping strategy will be submitted in support of the application to ensure that development is introduced at the Site in a sensitive manner and to minimise the impact of the scheme on local people.

Benefits

The proposed development has the potential to generate a wide range of economic, social, and environmental benefits. A summary of the anticipated benefits are set out below:

Economic Benefits

  • Bringing back into use a vacant employment site.
  • Delivering employment development in close proximity to the M58/M57 and M6.
  • Securing investment in modern, high-quality employment provision.
  • Supporting local employment opportunities through the construction phase of the development, indirect employment through supply chain companies, and additional spin-off employment opportunities.
  • Once complete, employees at the Site will generate expenditure within the local economy, supporting shops and services in the surrounding area.
  • Increase in Business Rate income which would contribute to the funding of public services

Social Benefits

  • Creation of jobs for local people.
  • Supporting and contributing towards the local, regional, and national economy.
  • The proposed development will be supported by an Employment and Skills plan to maximse employment and training opportunities at the Site.

Environmental Benefits

  • The employment provision would be located in close proximity to the he A5036, an arterial road linking Liverpool Docks to the motorway network (M58/M57 and M6), which would give quick and convenient access to strategic highways infrastructure and reduce travel times.
  • A biodiversity net gain will be achieved through the implementation of a landscaping strategy and off-site financial contributions which will provide opportunities to enhance biodiversity and the environment.
  • Incorporation of a Sustainable Drainage System.

Feedback

The public consultation has now concluded. Many thanks to those who took the time to review the proposed scheme and provide feedback. The architectural and consultant team will now go away and review each response in detail. Where possible, we will try and amend the scheme accordingly in response to the feedback received.

FAQs

Total Developments (NW) Ltd are preparing a ‘full’ planning application. This means that permission is being sought for all elements of the development including design and materials. Detailed drawings are to be submitted as part of the application submission.

A full suite of technical reports has been instructed to inform and support the scheme. Technical work has been undertaken to inform the current iteration of the scheme and will continue as the masterplan is refined. Technical work to date concludes that there is no constraint which would preclude development at the Site.

Construction will be controlled by a Construction Environment Management Plan and planning conditions to ensure any impact on the local community is minimised.

Should monies be required to offset any impact of the proposed development on physical and social infrastructure, the developer will enter into a Section 106 agreement with the Council. Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 allows a local planning authority to enter into a legally binding agreement with a developer as part of the granting of planning permission to pay for the infrastructure necessary for development to be accommodated sustainably. The Section 106 agreement will be drawn up during the determination of the planning application.

Feedback received will be taken on board and will inform the final scheme submitted to Sefton Council for determination. The feedback received will be collated and summarised in a Consultation Report. This report will be available to read on the Sefton’s website and on the planning register.

People will also have the opportunity to comment on the final proposals during the determination of the application as part of the Council’s own statutory consultation

Next Steps

Thank you for taking the time to visit our online consultation. If you have any questions regarding the scheme, please do not hesitate to contact us via email at: landatbridleroad@stantec.com

Or by post
Bridle Road Consultation
100 Barbirolli Square
18-22 Bridge Street
Manchester
M2 3PW
UNITED KINGDOM

Anticipated Timeline

  • June 2024 – The proposed scheme is being consulted on. The feedback will be collated and reviewed by the project team and refinements made to masterplan.
  • July 2024 – Submission of the full planning application to Sefton Council for consideration.
  • Summer 2024 – Sefton Council’s consultation and assessment of the application.
  • Late 2024 – Determination of the planning application.
  • 2025 – Construction to begin.

We take data protection seriously. Please only provide your personal details if you are willing for them to be used by Barton Willmore and the project team for the purpose of research in connection with this project and in order to update you on the progress of the project. Your details will be treated as confidential and will not be shared, passed on or used by any third parties and they will only be retained until the end of the planning process for the project, after which time they will be deleted. If you wish to withdraw consent to the processing of your personal data you may do so by emailing: amy.clarke@bartonwillmore.co.uk