Social Impact of Sefton Council’s Major Highway Schemes Recognised

Sefton Council’s Active Travel, Place Making and Public Realm Programme has been shortlisted for the North West Regional Construction Awards 2026. Working with partners, the Council have ensured that major highway schemes have delivered wider positive social impact in the community outside of the direct scheme benefits themselves.

Across multiple schemes, £5.9m of social value has been delivered, thousands of students engaged with, hundreds of weeks of apprenticeships provided, and over £20,000 invested towards community projects which included funding programmes for primary school children to learn and grow food.

The range of initiatives focused around inclusive employment and skill pathways, targeted community support, and environmental and social sustainability. Efforts were focused around long term impacts that impacted locally.

Supporting local employment was a significant part of the social impact delivered that has been recognised in the award nomination. For example, partner Balfour Beatty worked with local organisations like Sefton@Work, Care Experienced Hub and Hugh Baird to provide two 45-day placements for T-Level students, provided a six-month paid placement for a care leaver, provided 400 weeks of apprenticeships, spent 140 staff hours supporting local schools and colleges through workshops and fairs, and engaged with 2,283 students.

From donating to the Christmas Toy appeal, volunteering at community centres, working with Sefton4Good and local suppliers, supporting and working with the community was an important part of the social impact delivered.

In all schemes, 99.9% of waste was diverted from landfill, with much of it recycled on site.

Educational workshops were also held in primary schools with Farm Urban, a social enterprise delivering a programme that provided hands on learning around food production, climate awareness and STEM subjects. Using the free school meals eligibility data, the schools were selected based on pupils who would benefit the most.

The Social Impact delivered was for the schemes Les Transformations de Southport, Maritime Corridor, and Southport Eastern Access which together delivered improvements from a better and nicer public realm, improved walking and cycling infrastructure that supports local jobs, and improved junctions, all to support regeneration.

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Skills and Economy said:

“Activities were focused on where they would have the biggest impact over the long term. A huge effort was made to ensure that the people were given local employability opportunities, supported in the community and that sustainability was considered throughout.”

The Council, with the wider project team including Balfour Beatty, WSP, Atkins, D Morgan, and SCAPE have been shortlisted in the Social Impact Award as the annual North West Regional Construction Awards, with the winners announced in Liverpool on Thursday 2ndJuly.