The future of the Esplanade Car Park in Southport is back on the agenda as Sefton Council prepares to discuss it at its September cabinet meeting. Councillors will consider options and recommendations for proposed third-party development on the site on September 3, although the meeting will at least partially be held in private on the grounds that confidential information relating to financial or business affairs is likely to be discussed.
Background of the Site
Questions have long been raised over the future of the former park and ride, which stopped operating in April 2024, although the car park remains. There had been an exclusivity agreement in place with GSL Developments to create a new £75m Cove Resort, but this expired in October.
This resort would have offered multiple leisure activities including an outdoor lagoon, thermal spa and four-star hotel. The Cove Resort’s Instagram page was last updated in 2023.
Financial and Planning Status
At the beginning of this year, accounts for GSL Developments showed just £2 share capital, although this does not include wider funding arrangements or investors. The fate of the Esplanade had been on the agenda for discussion at December’s cabinet meeting, but was subsequently removed. The same happened in February and June.
An update in a report published in June by cabinet member for housing and regeneration, Paulette Lappin, stated that there was still an exclusivity agreement in place with GSL Developments. It added: “GSL are progressing planning matters and discussions relating to delivery of the project on this site and have now received pre-application advice from the planners on the development which have been very positive.”
However, during a regeneration and skills overview and scrutiny committee meeting at the end of last month, executive director Stephen Watson said that this was published in “error”. He said: “The exclusivity agreement it refers to expired late last year, and options are under review for the future of that site.”
Council and Developer Responses
The ECHO attempted to contact the Cove Resort developers for comment but received no response. A spokesperson for Sefton Council has told the ECHO: “We continue to explore all options for the future of the Esplanade site.”
Previous Plans for the Site
Before the Cove resort plan came into being at the Esplanade site, Southport Community Energy Ltd had been working with Sefton Council on the planned replacement of an out-of-operation wind turbine with a much larger device which could have contributed to a community benefit fund worth more than £1m. However, plans for the Cove resort then emerged, and GSL Developments was granted the exclusivity agreement for the site.
Potential future uses for the car park may become clearer at September’s cabinet meeting.
