Environment Minister Elliot Morley has visited Merseyside (30th January) as part of a national sustainable development tour to see green housing developments, energy-saving schemes and efforts by business, schools and the public sector to protect the en
Mr Morley said:
“It is vital that everybody gets involved in sustainable development. That goes for public authorities, who can set an example and lead the development of new markets, for example in timber procurement; businesses, who can save millions of pounds by cutting waste and their use of resources; individuals, who can make more environmental choices in their daily lives and communities, who can come together to implement projects such as recycling and improving local environmental quality."
Mr Morley's North West tour included Speke Garston Coastal Reserve. The reserve is a flagship project within the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park, part funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA). Its aim is to create a haven for wildlife on previously neglected land. The reserve will also include a £1million sailing clubhouse, which will provide a valuable community facility and a resource for employees of the adjacent business park. The Minister toured the reserve and helped bolt into place a steel girder at the clubhouse.
Chair of Mersey Waterfront, Sara Wilde, said:
"Historically, this area has seen years of decline and neglect, and suffered serious issues with anti-social behaviour, however this scheme, together with the redevelopment of the Sailing Club, is a clear opportunity to create an outstanding public space. Renewal of this wasteland will not only encourage local people to take pride in the area, but will help create a better impression for potential investors in the nearby Estuary Commerce Park and Liverpool John Lennon Airport."
Paul Lakin, Area Manager for Merseyside at the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), said:
“Improving the quality of the region's public spaces plays an important part in regeneration, improving quality of life for local people and projecting a positive image of the region. This project presents an opportunity to redevelop an area of wasteland into an attractive natural asset, which will provide a valuable place for local residents to enjoy and benefit the local economy by encouraging visitors to the area.”
