A property developer who turned a £17,000 house into a £21m business has set his sights on transforming St Helens town centre.
Paul Nicholson, of Nicholson Group property developers , is at the forefront of several regeneration projects aimed at regenerating the town.
The 33-year-old bought his first property worth just £17,000 when he was 23 - and now commands a property portfolio worth over £21m.
Now Paul is determined to transform St Helens in the space of just a few years - and said he sees the town's location, between Liverpool and Manchester, as a one of its key selling points.
Nicholson Group's most recently completed project is Nicholson Plaza, on Barrow Street , a new development consisting of 12 luxury one bedroom apartments.
Speaking to the ECHO , Paul said: "Every town centre is experiencing problems. It's not just St Helens.
"I believe that regeneration of our towns has to be residential led. If you get the footfall in the centre, that will attract businesses.
"Town centres need to reinvent themselves. In St Helens' case, it's got the key infrastructure, it's got good bus and rail services, it's in the M6 corridor and by the M62.
"For me, St Helens is a perfect commuter town.
"With further investment it could be a completely different town centre as soon as two years from now.
"We're not there right now but there are so many good indicators that show me St Helens could thrive."
Paul thinks residential development in the town centre could be the catalyst for regenerating the centre of St Helens which will attract new independent food and drink venues.
Speaking about the development of the recently completed Nicholson Plaza building, Paul told of how he turned a dilapidated building into an attractive place to live.
He said: "When we acquired the site, it was a derelict building in poor condition. It is now home to successful businesses and occupiers making it their home.
"We've been spearheading the regeneration of St Helens with our WA10 portfolio that will shortly comprise of more than one hundred residences plus eleven commercial units situated in iconic landmarks in the heart of the town.
"Nicholson Plaza will be a further catalyst for change here.
“The demand for the apartments has been unprecedented, outstripping our last 2 projects. The apartments were reserved well before the development was complete with a reservation list in tow."
Paul also acquired the Grade II listed Beechams Clock Tower on the corner of Water Street and Westfield Street.
He said: "The town centre needs to encourage and embrace change. It needs to see that reinvention is the way forward, it'll be a place to live and play and not just shop anymore.
"We need to encourage vibrancy and an eclectic array of restaurants and bars at the correct market level, professionals with disposable income.
"What we are achieving at our newest neighbourhood on Barrow Street and Claughton Street , a once abandoned area of the town centre is a testament as to what collaboration with private investment and visionaries can achieve, and we haven't finished with that street yet either.
"We have started the next phase of the development which will also see the first of its kind 'private' rooftop terrace and also a new leisure operation potentially coming to market.
"I believe the area is a great example of a zone that should be pedestrianised which would see the creation of St Helens' own Bold Street encouraging people to visit the town centre and spend the money thereby encouraging more investment from entrepreneurs.
"We are hoping that by early 2020, we will have completed our vision for the previously derelict 35,000 square foot building having created St Helens' signature residence and a project that started off as a pipeline vision just two and a half years ago to reality, and the start of a real transformation in the town."
The Nicholson Group's investment in both residential , and retail and restaurant units has attracted interest from other developers looking to buy up town centre buildings and convert them into new apartaments.
Paul said:"I've started a movement and now other people are seeing St Helens' potential and are trying to do the same.
"People thought I was nuts and now they're copying me. I've shown that investment here can work.
"All the retail units we own have gone to independent local businesses. People will travel in from surrounding areas to spend their money at these businesses and drive growth."
