Sefton Council leader Cllr Marion Atkinson has spoken of "exciting times" for the borough as options are explored for the former Southport Esplanade site. During a cabinet meeting on October 1, 2026, councillors were presented with a report exploring proposals for the long-vacant former park and ride in Southport.
£75m Cove Resort remains a credible option
Proposals for a £75m resort remain a "credible potential option", according to the report. An exclusivity agreement had been in place with GSL Developments to create a new £75m Cove Resort, but Stephen Watson, executive director of regeneration, economy and assets, confirmed this had expired.
Watson said: "On the site [GSL Developments] have been through the pre-planning process and have done some design development work. There isn't an exclusivity agreement or anything at this time.
"We don't have any information based on if we would propose the Cove Resort or that we would discount it at this time.
"When there are options and opportunities for consideration, we would expect it to include a reserve proposal by that developer."
Competitive process proposed for the site
The Esplanade site stopped operating in April 2024, although the car park still remains. October's cabinet report says: "For the Esplanade park and ride site, and potentially other adjacent assets, it is proposed to ensure that best value is secured via a competitive process, which will follow the soft market testing that is underway as part of the Place Strategy development process in Southport. The outcomes of this process would be presented to Cabinet for approval in due course."
Council leader Cllr Marion Atkinson said how the regeneration of the borough is enticing businesses to come to Sefton. She said: "That was always the ambition, we said this was going to happen and now it's happening.
"Sefton is a place where we know people want to come and work with us. They want to come and invest with us, they want to do business with us.
"I told you so when we started this really ambitious programme across the whole borough.
"I'm really pleased, very comfortable with the recommendations in the site and exciting times ahead for every postcode in the borough."
