Sefton Water Centre

Work scheduled to start on new marine park

Feb 8 2008 by Ben Schofield, Liverpool Daily Post

WORK on building one of Merseyside’s premier waterside attractions is set to start in a couple of weeks.

Demolition contractors were appointed yesterday to start ripping down buildings at Sefton Water Centre.

The £75,000 job will see the observation tower, garage, jetty and clubhouse raised to make way for a new marine park.

Liverpool-based firm Oldham Brothers were given the green light to start work by Sefton Council’s cabinet yesterday.

Awarding the contract comes days ahead of a planning committee which will scrutinise new plans for the £7m Crosby Marine Park, which will replace the old facilities. Demolition work will start on February 18 and is scheduled to take four weeks.

But council officers are still locked in eleventh hour talks with Crosby Scout and Guide Marina Club, which could delay the start of works.

The group is based in the clubhouse and was concerned the new buildings would not offer enough floor space for them.

Cabinet members were told a new tenancy agreement had been signed and alternative accommodation was on order for the group.

It is hoped the site will be a mecca for both professional and amateur water sports enthusiasts.

But plans passed by the planning committee in September last year had to be significantly altered to make sure the development stayed within budget.

The altered plans for the new marine park, on Cambridge Road, Waterloo, will go before councillors next Wednesday.

Officers also consulted with the Scout and Guide group on their needs and now the plans include buildings with the same amount of floor space as the old clubhouse.

If councillors approve the plans, the site will have an 80-seat cafe, conference facility, overnight accommodation, boat storage huts and a workshop.

The clubhouse will be timber clad and natural stone will be used for walls.

The cafe is described in the planning application as an “imposing, elegant glazed structure with views out across the lake”.

Most of the cost of the project is being met by grants from the European Regional Development Fund, Mersey Water Front, Sport England and Sefton Council.

Sefton Council is considering tender bids from five firms.

benschofield