Demolition plans and major changes at New Mersey Shopping Park

Planning application could see significant changes for two key businesses at the popular shopping park

Speke’s New Mersey Retail Park(Image: James Gillham/British Land)

Major new plans could bring big changes to a popular Liverpool retail park. The New Mersey Shopping Park has been a key fixture in Speke since it was developed in 2018 as part of a multi-million pound development.

The complex includes big name shops, restaurants and leisure sites including Cineworld, Nando’s and JD Sports. But now plans have been submitted that could see some key changes made at the retail park. An application has been submitted to Liverpool City Council seeking to make amendments to previously approved planning permission involving some of the buildings in the park.

The plans, submitted by Speke Unit Trust – the owner of the shopping park – relate to the eastern terrace and involve a revised configuration of existing and approved floorspace. The plans are proposed to meet the requirements of two existing businesses – B&Q and Marks & Spencer (M&S).

Marks and Spencer food store in New Mersey Retail Park, Speke(Image: Google)

B&Q says the site it currently uses on the retail park no longer meets its business model requirements and the proposals would subdivide the unit it is based in to create a smaller shop site. M&S currently occupies a separate unit housing a food hall.

It is now proposed that M&S will relocate to a larger premises made up of part of the current B&Q unit and an extension onto part of the current B&Q garden centre. This will allow M&S to provide its food, clothing and home offer under one roof.

M&S currently employs 44 people at its existing Foodhall store. The new store would employ a total of 162 people in a mix of full and part-time positions.

If approved, the plans would see a partial demolition of the existing B&Q garden centre to allow for new pedestrian and vehicle gates, associated with M&S.