Plans to create a safer, greener and more welcoming Town Hall Gardens in Southport designed by award winning architects have received resoundingly strong public backing from people of all ages.
This follows one of the most extensive consultation exercises undertaken for a town centre project in recent years in Sefton.
More than 300 locals have taken part across two stages of in-depth public consultation since the plans were first announced in 2025, with the majority of respondents in the most recent stage saying they fully support the regeneration.
Heritage England, Merseyside Police, Southport businesses as well as representatives from civic heritage groups have also had input into the proposals.
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On top of that hundreds of schoolchildren from across Southport have been invited to give their thoughts on how they will use the space for their generation and beyond.
These vitally important perspectives are now being incorporated into the finalisation of the project’s planning application.
This includes the protection of Listed heritage assets and the sensitive dismantling of non-heritage style assets which can then be re-used in future projects in the town centre.
Having listened to public feedback the design team are also exploring the introduction of a new low-level wall at the front of the proposed Celebration Gardens to help maintain consistency with the wider character of Lord Street.
The £10 million regeneration was announced after the gardens became a key focal point for the community since the tragic events of July 2024.
Funded by Central Government, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Sefton Council, and with the backing of Heritage England, the regeneration of the gardens is the shared ambition of the families of Alice Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Stancombe as their way of saying ‘thank you’ to the town who support those directly impacted throughout an unimaginably difficult time.
Investment
The regeneration brings vital, much needed investment into the space and the wider Town Centre
In a joint comment from the families of Alice, Bebe and Elsie, they said:
“We are really pleased to see how far and wide the engagement has been in the consultation process on what we’ve always hoped would be a wonderfully transformative project for Southport.
“We attended a schools consultation and engagement event at the Atkinson with hundreds of local schoolchildren and we were blown away by their positivity and their fascinating views on the future of town centre spaces.
“A young student at the event said they wanted this to be the kindest place in the world – which showed for us straight away that they just ‘got’ what this is all about.
“We know there is much to do still before planning approval and before the works start on site, but we remain fully committed to delivering this project as a way of saying thank you to Southport and the community for the support they have shown all of us.”
Consultation
The second stage consultation, led by Sefton Council, included a two-week public exhibition of a 3D model at The Atkinson, Q&A opportunities with staff, workshops with local schools, online engagement, leaflets to more than 1,200 homes in the town centre and stakeholder meetings with community representatives.
It followed a similarly detailed first stage consultation held in 2025 which asked residents what they wanted to see incorporated into the design.
The most recent feedback shows residents overwhelmingly support the wider ambition to create a space that is safer, more accessible, better connected and capable of hosting large scale community activities throughout the year.
Popular
Among the most popular features were plans for enhanced planting and landscaping, new places to sit and relax, a community potting shed and a dedicated space for events, performances and cultural activities.
The proposed Botanical Gardens element (outside the Town Hall entrance) alone attracted the support of more than 70% of respondents.
Plans also include the restoration and repair of the Grade II listed pavilion, including a new roof and restoration of its historic features, alongside the retention of the Grade II listed telephone kiosks, mature trees and benches.
The proposals received support across all age groups, with particularly strong backing from children and young people as well as adults up to the age of 30. Regular users of the Gardens were heavily represented, with more than half of respondents say they visit several times a week.
Leader of Sefton Council Cllr Marion Atkinson said:
“That goes to show that people who actually know and value the space took the time to have their say and were very supportive.
“It’s lovely to see people were very supportive of the Botanical Gardens, Performance Plaza and Potting Shed, highlighting our shared enthusiasm for a greener, more vibrant and community-focused feel to the Gardens.
“Throughout this proposal the big question has been ‘what about our future generations?’ and I am pleased to see that the results of this consultation show optimism about the role the Gardens can play in Southport’s future.”
More than 70% of respondents said they would use the Gardens more often if the plans go ahead.
Cllr Atkinson said:
“In any consultation there is always objection and it is impossible to cater to everybody’s desires but, importantly, this consultation found significant common ground among supporters and opponents alike.
“Of course this is not the only time the Town Hall Gardens have been regenerated, with the space looking considerably different to how it did even thirty years ago.
“The new design intends to be complementary to the heritage assets nearby and to revitalise the space in an appropriate way.”
Safety has been placed at the centre of the proposals, incorporating improved lighting, natural surveillance, new planting buffers and permanent vehicle protection measures developed in consultation with specialists and Merseyside Police.
More than a third of consultation respondents said the new Gardens would feel safer and more welcoming than they do today, making it the most common response.
The proposals would deliver a significant environmental improvement to the town centre, including an increase of 28 trees alongside extensive planting designed specifically for Southport’s coastal environment.
The lead architect for the project is Planit, led by Pete Swift, whose team were named last week as the winners of the 2026 Stirling Prize. Pete said:
“This is the most important project of our collective careers. It is an honour to be working closely with the families and communities of Southport, Sefton Council and the wider project sponsors to bring their ideas to life.
“The gardens you see today are not what they have always been. Like many public spaces, they are on their fourth or fifth incarnation. They have taken their lead from the past, rather than looking to the future. There is nothing wrong with that as a principal, but perhaps now is time to cast forward, further.
“Our world is changing and our towns and cities must do the same. Greener, softer, more resilient public spaces are redefining the places we live and embracing nature with a more deliberate and careful attitude is resulting in a quiet revolution.
“The proposals for STHG embrace this approach and go further than ever before to create a public space here, where children can bring their families, where the world can look to Southport for leadership in resilience and urban futures.
“We are increasing the area of greenspace nearly threefold; protecting and enhancing the statuesque trees along Lord Street and adding over thirty within the gardens.”
Regenerative
“Our approach is deeply regenerative. We are striving to waste nothing. We have a detailed inventory of all the elements we are removing – from the columns and balustrades to the paving slabs and benches.
“This will form the basis of a ‘second-life strategy’ – where careful dismantling, rather than indiscriminate demolition, will give the project team the building blocks for more projects across the town.
“We have spent much of the last decade reimagining Manchester’s Albert Square and we have employed the same approach – saved materials have been incorporated into a host of projects, from the restoration of Ancoats Green to the pioneering Embassy Village homeless charity project.”
A long-term management and maintenance plan will also be secured through the planning process ensuring the Gardens remain attractive, safe and well-maintained for future generations.
Any future construction timetable remains subject to further feedback, planning approval, technical development and the necessary procurement processes.
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