The tiny UK town once a mining village now set for major £150m boost | UK | News
A town in West Lancashire is set for a major transformation with a £150 million redevelopment project recently approved. The project will bring significant changes to Skelmersdale with the construction of 400 new homes, a new high street and improved public spaces. The redevelopment, carried out by West Lancashire Borough Council and its development company Tawd Valley Developments Limited, will focus on a number of key locations in the town centre.
Plans include a new leisure centre, building 28,000 square meters of commercial space for shops and restaurants, and improved transport links such as moving the bus terminal to street level. The redevelopment will also include improvements to local amenities such as the town’s amphitheater, library modernization and improvements to Tawd Valley Park.
The project was approved in May 2025 following a six-week consultation.
While new homes play a key role in the Master Plan, public feedback during the consultation raised concerns about whether local infrastructure, including health services, schools and transport, can cope with the growth.
In response to feedback from the community, the plans have made several adjustments, including improved transport access, relocating the Concourse Bus Terminal to street level, increasing funding for improvements to Tawd Valley Park and reducing the number of homes in the Yewdale Housing Scheme.
Councilor Melissa Parlour, West Lancashire County Council’s lead member for Economic Regeneration and Green Growth, said: “The Master Plan is a realistic and deliverable plan that puts residents’ priorities at the centre. It supports our strategic objectives while responding to what we are hearing from the community.”
“A huge amount of work has been done to ensure the Master Plan is aligned with the Council’s corporate priorities, the emerging Economic Development Strategy and Local Plan, supporting investment, job creation and sustainable growth.
“And with TVD at the helm, we can ensure residents’ interests remain at the heart of delivery while maintaining control of key decisions.”
The council confirmed the work will be carried out in phases over the next 10 to 15 years to ensure the development does not impact local schools, healthcare or transport services.
Skelmersdale has grown from a small mining village to a community of around 40,000 people, according to the last census. The town was designated a new town in 1961 as part of a wider effort to relieve housing pressure in nearby Liverpool.
