West Lancashire Borough Council has taken a major step forward with the exciting Ormskirk Town Centre Strategy with the £2.88 million acquisition of Wheatsheaf Walk, which includes the units on Wheatsheaf Walk, and several units fronting Burscough Street.

The 15 retail units, which include Wetherspoons’ Court Leet Pub and Greenhalgh’s bakery, went under the hammer with auctioneer’s Allsop on Monday. The purchase represents the Council’s largest ever investment in retail property.

Buying retail property if appropriate buildings come up at the right price is part of the Ormskirk Town Centre Strategy, which the Council works on with partners to ensure Ormskirk has an even brighter long-term future.

Purchasing this property will allow the Council to take strategic action as a landlord. The Council already successfully manages retail premises elsewhere in the Borough and will now be able to use its business contacts to try and bring new businesses to the town which complement and improve the existing retail and leisure offer and attract more visitors. Rental values on the property will also provide a financial return on the investment.

Councillor Ian Moran, Leader of West Lancashire Borough Council and portfolio holder for Economic Regeneration, said: “West Lancashire Borough Council is an aspirational authority and this major investment shows our commitment to delivering the strategy to bring an even more vibrant future for Ormskirk Town Centre. Other councils, such as Chorley, have already seen the benefits of directly investing in their town centres, both in terms of demonstrating confidence in their centres as well as delivering an income stream that can be invested back into council services. Ormskirk already has low vacancies compared to other centres and this development is in an excellent location in one of the main gateways into the town.

“This purchase really puts the council in the driving seat to positively influence the future development of Ormskirk Town Centre and will provide a financial return for the Council and the residents of West Lancashire. We will continue to work with all our partners to further boost Ormskirk's appeal as a visitor destination.”

Councillor Moran added: “The Council is also very much committed to investing in other town centres in the borough to make the whole of West Lancashire an even better place to live, work and enjoy leisure time.”

Wheatsheaf Walk consists of 15 retail units to provide a mix of retail and leisure accommodation arranged on ground and one upper floor. The purchase also includes a large part of the Wheatsheaf car park which will enable the Council to assume full control of the whole car park rather than it being in fragmented ownership.

Purchasing the units is also in line with the Council Plan, in which one of the key priorities for the authority is to be ambitious for the local economy, and to retain and grow jobs and encourage business and wealth.

And commenting on the news, Cllr Adrian Owens of the independent Our West Lancashire group on the council told QLocal this evening: "Once again, an idea that Our West Lancashire has been promoting for more than 12 months has been taken up by the council.

"We are delighted that this latest idea of ours has come to fruition and it again underlines that it is the power of ideas from people who can think independently rather than narrow political dogma that will take our Borough forward.

"We can add this to Our West Lancashire’s successes such as reducing from two Managing Directors to just one as ideas that have been taken through due to our independent influence.”

*For more information on the Ormskirk Town Centre Strategy, click here: www.westlancs.gov.uk/regeneration.

Or maybe they listened to everyone when they told them at various meetings that rents are to high to manage a buisness and they've took notice ??
I say well done to west Lancs council and think it's a positive step ?
It's a bit like me saying I suggested it 12 months ago so I should take credit for the idea , end of the day a conservative council had 13 years to do this were as a labour council has made a positive step in 12 months .
Well done keep up the good work and let's get the town back on its feet

And also commenting on the news, Cllr Chris Wynn of West Lancs Labour group, portfolio holder for finance informs Q local tonight " When I delivered the Labour proposed budget in February 2015 I informed the council how we would have to be more commercial and business minded. After only a year of being in control we are delivering our aspirations, Purchasing the shops in Wheatsheaf walk will safeguard the revenue generated from the car park and allow us to invest in Ormskirk town centre"

It's also interesting to see comments on here about reducing 2 managing directors down to one? Here's a fact that I would like to share,

On the 19th July 2011 I submitted a written statement on behalf of the union members I represented, objecting and asking council to reconsider the proposal of a management restructure of 1 chief executive to 2 Managing Directors.

On 20th July 2011 at full council the conservatives voted in favour of adopting the joint Managing Director model.

5 years later independent councillor Adrian Owens claims going back to having 1 chief executive, and purchasing wheatsheaf Walk is the result of his manifesto?

I'd say someone is just playing catchup.

indeed ,its nice to see some positive steps after only 12 months in control ,
now if we can get the market to a decent standard we might be close to having a half decent town again .