Post by Kev on Mar 23, 2004 12:22:19 GMT -5
At bloody last.............. 
A NEW £70m shopping centre at the heart of Liverpool city centre is finally going ahead.
The future of the Met Quarter in Whitechapel - on the site of the former main post office - has been a major headache for the council for years.
But now the Walton Group, which owned the site since the mid-80s, has sold the development for an undisclosed sum to retail group Milligan.
Designer retailer Flannels, which has shops in London, Manchester and Leeds, has signed up to be the anchor store in the two-storey development.
Milligans is confident it can attract other retailers.
The Met Quarter will be built around a "covered streets" design and Milligans says it will be open in time for Christmas 2005.
John Milligan, chief executive, said: "We have exchanged contacts with the Walton Group and the deal should be complete by mid-April. Building work will resume in the next two months.
"Liverpool is the place to invest for retailers and our scheme will complement the Grosvenor scheme to make the city a prime retail destination by 2008, when the city is European Capital of Culture.
"We have begun marketing the site already and I am very confident all the units will be let over the next 12 months."
The buyout followed months of negotiations between Walton and Mr Milligan, who was originally the sub-contractor for the development until building work was brought to a halt last year.
Liverpool council leader Mike Storey said: "The old post office is a very important site.
"This development will be opposite the new Culture HQ and close to the Paradise Street shopping centre.
"It will help transform Liverpool into a premier shopping destination and I am looking forward to build-ing work resuming in the very near future."
A NEW £70m shopping centre at the heart of Liverpool city centre is finally going ahead.
The future of the Met Quarter in Whitechapel - on the site of the former main post office - has been a major headache for the council for years.
But now the Walton Group, which owned the site since the mid-80s, has sold the development for an undisclosed sum to retail group Milligan.
Designer retailer Flannels, which has shops in London, Manchester and Leeds, has signed up to be the anchor store in the two-storey development.
Milligans is confident it can attract other retailers.
The Met Quarter will be built around a "covered streets" design and Milligans says it will be open in time for Christmas 2005.
John Milligan, chief executive, said: "We have exchanged contacts with the Walton Group and the deal should be complete by mid-April. Building work will resume in the next two months.
"Liverpool is the place to invest for retailers and our scheme will complement the Grosvenor scheme to make the city a prime retail destination by 2008, when the city is European Capital of Culture.
"We have begun marketing the site already and I am very confident all the units will be let over the next 12 months."
The buyout followed months of negotiations between Walton and Mr Milligan, who was originally the sub-contractor for the development until building work was brought to a halt last year.
Liverpool council leader Mike Storey said: "The old post office is a very important site.
"This development will be opposite the new Culture HQ and close to the Paradise Street shopping centre.
"It will help transform Liverpool into a premier shopping destination and I am looking forward to build-ing work resuming in the very near future."
