HOUSING developers are waiting for the kick-off to convert St Annes' famed ex-Football League HQ into £4.5m luxury retirement apartments.

The distinctive Clifton Drive South building, once visited by soccer legends such as Bill Shankly, Sir Matt Busby and Brian Clough, lost its role when the Football League moved to modern premises in Preston earlier this year.

Now St Annes-based Newfield Jones Homes are hoping for planning permission on October 6 to demolish it and two neighbouring houses to make way for 48 warden-assisted flats.

But the soccer link will be retained - Newfield Jones director John Hayfield explained: "We're planning to call it Hardaker Court after Alan Hardaker, the Football League secretary who originally brought the league to St Annes from Preston."

Mr Hardaker's family still lives in the area and are pleased the company wants him to be remembered in this flagship development.

Said Mr Hayfield: "It's a special landmark site on the main arterial road and we want it to be a striking piece of architecture as part of our contribution to the regeneration of St Annes town centre. The design would be based on an authentic Victorian villa to preserve the best of St Annes' Victorian design."

The company has built three other retirement developments in the area in the past few years, he went on, and would apply lessons learnt to create a top-quality development.

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