Regeneration specialist St. Modwen has officially named a new link road Jennifer Avenue at the £150 million ‘Project Jennifer’ scheme at Great Homer Street in north Liverpool.
On Friday 16 December, St. Modwen was joined by Assistant Mayor Nick Small, Bishop Tom Williams, key stakeholders and Jennifer Sutton, who the project and road were named after 20 years ago, for an official naming ceremony.
The regeneration of the area was named ‘Project Jennifer’ after the niece of the Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool, Tom Williams. Bishop Williams was a founding member of a group of people from the Great Homer Street area who were calling for change in the 1990’s. He suggested the name while he was in his former role as the parish priest of St. Anthony’s Church on Scotland Road.
Although Project Jennifer was only ever meant as a temporary name, it has been associated with the scheme ever since and has become a symbol of the united community in this area of the city.
Project Jennifer, which is being delivered by St. Modwen in partnership with Liverpool City Council, will create more than 1,000 jobs in the North Liverpool Mayoral Development Zone.
As part of this regeneration project major road improvements have been made, including the new junction linking Scotland Road to Great Homer Street, as well as improved links to Everton Park. Jennifer Avenue, will serve as the main access to the new Sainsbury’s foodstore, McDonald’s restaurant and district centre.
Jennifer Avenue will be open to the public at 10am on Tuesday 20 December.
Paul Batho, Projects Director at St. Modwen, said: “We are pleased to welcome Bishop Williams and his niece Jennifer for the naming of the new link road. Jennifer Avenue is a major milestone in the delivery of the regeneration scheme at Great Homer Street.
“Today also celebrates the partnership between Liverpool City Council and St. Modwen in delivering the project. We must also thank the stakeholder group who have supported the scheme over so many years.
“Having agreed deals on more than 90% of the new accommodation at Great Homer Street and with construction of the new district centre underway and the new Sainsbury’s foodstore due to open in May 2017, the new investment and jobs will act as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of north Liverpool.”
Jennifer Sutton, née Johnstone, was born in Liverpool before moving to Essex at the age of two. She now lives in Rayleigh, Essex with her husband and two young children Edie aged seven and Will, 10. Having studied art at the University of Liverpool, Jennifer returns to the area to visit her uncle and the rest of the family as often as she can.
Jennifer said: “It’s a huge honour to be here today to mark such an important milestone in the regeneration of this area. Growing up it was lovely to have my name associated with such a meaningful project and it’s wonderful that after so many years to see the development making significant progress.”
Bishop Williams said: “The regeneration of Great Homer Street has been a long time coming and I’m delighted with St. Modwen’s plans to revitalise the area. When finished next year, it will bring a new lease of life to this part of Liverpool and create a place that local people can be proud of.”
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson, said: “Project Jennifer is a vital piece of the regeneration jigsaw in north Liverpool and it’s a hugely symbolic moment for the scheme that Jennifer Way is opening. It’s great to see progress being made so swiftly as the investment, jobs and new homes will breathe much needed new life into the community and will also act as a vital catalyst in the economic development of the wider area.”
The link road has been constructed by St. Modwen’s contractors, A E Yates.
