ALBERT Gubay is continuing his retail park development programme with a huge £200 million project at Edge Lane in Liverpool, creating 2,000 jobs in the process.

One of Mr Gubay’s companies, Derwent Holdings, which owns Edge Lane retail park and other neighbouring sites, wants to create 600,000 sq ft of shops – 40% bigger than now.

The plans have been given the backing of Liverpool Council and planners and work has now started on the project. 

John Taylor, of Derwent Holdings, said the first thing the company will do is immediately remove the “grotspots” blighting Edge Lane if it gets planning permission.

He said: “We are ready to start straight away. The £200m is allocated and none of it will be borrowed – it is all cash.

“That is one of the organisation’s strengths. It has never really borrowed money and it never will.

“That way we are able to progress in a recession.”

Architects have designed double-fronted shops so they are accessible from Edge Lane itself, as well as from car parks inside the retail park.