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Landowners along a busy road into Liverpool city centre have been warned their properties could face compulsory purchase in a £22m road widening scheme.

The A565 Great Howard Street and Derby Road is being redeveloped to improve access to the city centre and as part of a wider regeneration plan for the area, including improving the nearby Dock Road.

Today letters are being sent to properties along the A565 warning them that Liverpool council is looking to acquire land so it can complete the scheme.

The letters are the first part of a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) process – but Sefton and Liverpool councils say they hope to reach agreements on compensation without having to enforce CPOs.

Work on the dual carriageway scheme could start as early as next spring and be finished by 2019.

Liverpool council plans to carry out the work using lane closures rather than full road closures, to minimise disruption to traffic. Great Howard Street is currently closed for works to replace a bridge over a disused rail line.

The work on the A565 will be done in two stages, from King Edward Street to Blackstone Street and then from Bankhall Street to Millers Bridge. The third stage of the work will see dockside Regent Road improved to make it more welcoming to cyclists and pedestrians.

Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, Liverpool’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “Making the A565 a full dual carriageway is going to make travelling to and from north Liverpool a much more pleasurable experience for millions of journeys every year.

“I’m especially excited by the fact that this scheme will give Regent Road a completely new lease of life and will further accelerate the regeneration in our Atlantic corridor – which is vital to the future economy of Liverpool, the city region and the north of England.”

Cllr John Fairclough, Sefton Council’s cabinet member for “locality services”, added: “This is just the start of a very exciting project which will enhance the main route into Liverpool from south Sefton.

“This stretch of road is extremely busy and by making it all dual carriageway, it will enable greater access in and out of Sefton for all vehicles.

“Discussions are underway with the landowners in Sefton and throughout the whole process we will be working closely with Liverpool City Council to make this project a big success.”