Bill Davies, the millionaire owner of Liverpool-based property company the Walton Group, unveiled plans for a retail scheme on the citys disused central Post Office site at the MAPIC exhibition in Cannes over the weekend.
A scheme to convert the building into a 23,225 sq m (250,000 sq ft) fashion centre called Stanley Street Store, designed by CD Partnership, has just won planning consent. Davies hopes it will extend the shopping pitch from nearby Church Street to his Victoria Street/Stanley Street site which he has owned for about 10 years.
Davies is launching the scheme in Cannes with English Partnerships, which is supporting the scheme. Hamilton Glen has been appointed letting agent and is targeting retailers like Karen Millen, Jigsaw, Reiss and Gap. Robert Wade Smith, independent retailer of the year last year, is also backing the project. Food halls and roof-level restaurants will be included and the model for the tenant mix will be Glasgows Princes Square.
Last month, Walton Group announced its intention to buy Chavasse Park, also in Liverpool, for a rumoured £15m. Walton plans to redevelop the site as a £200m shopping centre linking Albert Dock to Church Street. If it goes ahead, Lunson Mitchenall will be letting agent.
EGi News (MAPIC)18/11/96
