Second phase of consultation on Southport’s Town Hall Gardens
Source: The Business Desk - Neil Hodgson
Sefton Council is embarking on the second phase of public consultation on its plans for Southport’s Town Hall Gardens, including new images of how they could look after transformation into a vibrant botanical garden and performance space.
The consultation begins today (September 21).
A £10m regeneration project for the site was announced after the gardens became a key focal point for the community since the tragic events of July 2024, when youngsters Alice Da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe, were killed in a tragic stabbing attack.
Funded by Central Government, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Sefton Council, the regeneration of the gardens is the shared hope of the children’s families as their way of saying ‘thank you’ to the town who support those directly impacted throughout an unimaginably difficult time.
Now Sefton Council is inviting residents, businesses and visitors to have their say on the transformation, which aims to create a welcoming, accessible and safe multi-use space for families, children and the wider community.
The current proposals have been shaped by feedback received during the first stage of consultation which took place in late 2025, and reflect Southport’s distinctive history, coastal landscape and horticultural heritage.
Four connected character areas feature within the designs: The Performance Plaza; The Mega Ripples; Celebration Dunes; The Botanical Garden.
Combined, they would provide flexible space for performances and community events, opportunities for play and relaxation, new planting and improved biodiversity, as well as improved accessible routes through the gardens.
Each is intended to reflect some of the very best characteristics of Southport and the Sefton coast.
People are now being asked to comment on the designs before the council moves towards submitting a planning application. Feedback from the consultation will be reviewed and will help guide the final proposals.
Cllr Marion Atkinson, leader of Sefton Council, said: “These updated images bring to life our shared ambitions of creating a beautiful, welcoming and community-focused space in the heart of Southport.
“Southport’s Town Hall Gardens has worn many different looks over the decades but has always been a vital space for Sandgrounders to gather. With this latest regeneration we want to ensure that local people feel it belongs to them, for them.”
She added: “It should be a safe and inclusive place where families can spend time together, children can play and our communities can come together for performances, events and celebrations.