Asda set to come to Kirkby after town's 40-year wait for supermarket

Huge boost for Kirkby town centre as developers promise 500 jobs

An ASDA supermarket is likely to open in Kirkby town centre, the ECHO understands.

The giant retailer’s arrival would end Kirkby’s four-decade wait for a major supermarket, in a major boost for plans to revive the town centre.

A senior source close to the development said Asda was close to signing a deal with developers St Modwen, who own Kirkby’s town centre.

It comes after St Modwen published a blueprint this week for how a 3,700sq metre supermarket, 13 new shop and leisure units, two new restaurants and could be built.

The developers say the proposals could create almost 500 new jobs, with 115 construction jobs on site and another 360 in retail and other roles in future.

The opening of a major national supermarket, expected in late 2018, would mark the start of a new era in Kirkby’s long-running regeneration saga.

Kirkby has lacked a big supermarket since the late 1970s - when the old ASDA closed its doors.

Several different owners of the town centre have come and gone in the decades since, and regeneration scheme after regeneration scheme has fallen through.

The most-high profile masterplan would have seen Everton build a 55,000-seat stadium and Tesco build its biggest store in the northwest just south of the town centre.

But the controversial scheme was blocked by the government in 2009 over fears it could suck trade away from existing shops and from neighbouring boroughs.

Tesco pledged to press on with a smaller store before causing uproar by abandoning the plans in 2015, citing a more difficult economic environment and changing customer habits.

St Modwen say their retail plans. focused on the northern part of the town centre rather than land outside it south of Cherryfield Drive, will boost trade for existing stores.

They also say the firm’s proposals are “grounded in reality”, though admit current economic conditions are “challenging”.

Their forecast is for 115 construction jobs on site and another 360 in retail and other roles once the redevelopment is complete.

They are now seeking the green light from Knowsley council to start construction work in May on the £17.5m overhaul of the north of the town centre.

The bingo hall, two shops and eight other vacant units would be demolished to make way for 100,000 sq ft of new retail floor space, though much of the site would remain as a revamped car park.

Land south of Cherryfield Drive facing onto Newtown Gardens would be used as a temporary car park during construction from June.

Part of this southern car park would become permanent but St Modwen have not yet revealed long-term plans for the rest of the land, once home to properties demolished under a previous regeneration scheme.

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The developer has already said that a new cinema will open on the former library site, and a Costa cafe in St Chad’s Parade.

Kirkby has also seen revamped streets and shopfronts, a new bus station and several new market traders in the year since St Modwen bought the town centre from Tesco.

But the Asda deal has not been formally confirmed and St Modwen’s plans would still need to be signed off by Knowsley council before any construction work could begin.

A St Modwen spokeswoman previously told the ECHO it was unable to announce the name of the supermarket until the talks were complete and legal contracts exchanged.

An Asda spokesman said: “As the retail market continues to evolve we regularly assess all new opportunities which tie-in with our strategy.”

St Modwen has been approached for comment.