Bloor reveals 450-home Widnes ambitions
The housebuilder is asking for feedback on plans for safeguarded land off Cronton Lane, with redevelopment of the former JLR sports club alongside.
A two-week consultation is now live, showing up to 450 homes, around 25% of which would be delivered as affordable homes.
As part of the proposals, Bloor Homes intends to rejuvenate the former Jaguar Land Rover Sports & Social Club site to create a new sporting facility, with the Rugby Football League and RFL Community Trust on board as partners.
Bloor bought the six-acre JLR club site in November last year, weaving it into plans already being worked up to deliver a new neighbourhood in the area, which is north of the town centre and south of Junction 7 of the M62.
Plans at the sports club site include grass pitches for rugby league and football, an all-weather artificial surface bowling green, and new clubhouse facilities. The proposal has reflected the direct engagement with grassroots sports providers to assess and respond to local demands for community sport.
Consultation runs until 17 June. A spokesperson for Bloor Homes said: “We are committed to genuine engagement with the local community with the intention of delivering a neighbourhood that reflects their needs.
“Halton needs new, affordable homes and we recognise the importance of delivering more than just bricks and mortar, with a comprehensive reconfiguration and rejuvenation of the sports club site included as a key pillar of our proposals for the wider site.
“This consultation is an opportunity for residents to share their views and to explore the proposals in further detail.”
A spokesperson for the RFL said: “The sports facility could become an important local asset, supporting grassroots rugby league, football, bowls and wider physical activity for people of all ages and abilities.
“With the ongoing support and involvement of the RFL Community Trust, the plans present an exciting opportunity to really benefit local people by improving access to sport facilities and creating more opportunities for the community to get active.”
JLR closed the sports club in 2024.
Bloor Homes, established in 1969, is the largest privately owned housebuilder in the country. The RFL is the national governing body for professional and amateur rugby league in England, while the RFL Community Trust is the official foundation of the RFL, established to help further the sport’s social impact goals and build on its history as a sport rooted in its communities.
Give us a break the roads around Cronton lane are already grid locked every day and your gonna add to the misery.
By Anonymous
I’m sure Halton Council are just intent on allowing building all the way to the borough boundary in all directions. It will affectively be one agglomeration between Widnes, St Helens, Warrington & Liverpool.
By Anonymous
Which school are the kids going to go? Which dentist will everyone there have? Etc etc…
By Anonymous
Took the words right out my mouth @Anonymous.
By Anonymous
25% as affordable housing – give me a break
By Anonymous
The nicest walks and spots around the village,gone.Affordable.What a joke.This won’t help people struggling to get a pleasant home one bit.Not that it is actually intended to.Just planning speak.Blah,blah,blah.
By Mia Sharp
No more homes.
By Anonymous
At just 2 people per house that’s another 900 people I have to fight to get a gp, dentist, hospital appt.
By Ann
Totally overcrowded already . All green spaces getting bought up for housing will lack of amenities in area . New housing for people outside the area not the ones already in the area .
By Brian
I think it’s a good idea, as long as they sort the access out as the road can become gridlock and bad parking. Also the country park is not safe at night so I would hope there would be some sort of security. Also what about schools, doctors dentist are going to be provided at least the new residents will have a Sainsbury’s ! Are any going to be affordable rent probably not or 3 times my earning I think not?
By The flying banana
The traffic is often already gridlocked & people struggle trying to get past the roundabouts at cronton lane (near the college/garden centre) or pesto, especially entry & exit to all norlands lane estates. You mention about bringing wildlife into the area & better chances for people to enjoy the greenery but you are planning to build & destroy on a beautiful peaceful location that has existed for many many years. Your greed is not needed or wanted here & this whole idea is horrible!
By Anonymous
Doesn’t this need more than one vehicular access?
By WayFay
Agree roads are impassable along Cronton road at certain times – it’s a nightmare now. Anybody who lives here has to sit down n standing traffic through the village every day. Enough!
By Sarah
At least 3 comments already about access to a dentist. There’s literally one across the road! Medical centre a short hop away too! Go for it!
By Anonymous
No new schools, doctors, dentists, sports centres, road improvements. Nothing!
Constant new large housing developments, fine.
But with absolutely no infrastructure. Madness!!
By Anonymous
Ridiculous ! Cronton lane is impossible to get through at the best of times a further 1000 cars will create gridlock . Why not drop a chunk of the houses and build a doctors and a school on the site too . Bet you don’t ?
By Andrew
Are you considering the increase in traffic onto an already extremely busy road by the college?
By Nicola Fitzpatrick
There does not appear to be any mention of any schools, doctors,shops transport to cater for this for this already overbuilt area. I suppose residents will say they live in Cronton. The college calls itself Cronton even though it is not in the village
By Christine Birtwistle
Roads won’t cope.
By Anonymous
The close proximity of the proposed housing estate to Cronton Sixth Form College is a huge concern. The volume of traffic when students are arriving and leaving the college is horrendous. Very conjested and very dangerous. It’s insanity to consider building a large housing estate on the doorstep of Cronton College.
By SM
How will the proposed Rugby League development plans affect Widnes Vikings and the proposed sale of Halton Stadium?
By John Ditton
The local authorities in the north have had their budgets slashed in half since Thatcher and many are bankrupt. Unfortunately it is probably the only way councils can try and reduce their massive deficits.
By Anonymous
If building this then plan ahead. See comments about traffic. Surely, main entrance to estate should be north part of Norlands lane. Developers forced to the develop Norlands lane (to the entrance so not affecting the current housing) into a dual carriageway. This will then also support future estate further north (which we all know will eventually happen). This gives direct access for M62.
By Anonymous
So many issues with this .
Let’s start with the road congestion – as it is the roads are absolutely chocked up and people are driving from one traffic jam to another . The queues going to both Junctions 6 and 7 on the M62 are a nightmare at present . Halton BC – you must be so desperate if you seriously are considering this !
Where are the schools , doctors , dentists and hospitals- all those facilities are crammed as it is .
My area is MULTI USER ROUTES – to link children to schools , people to their workplace, routes to link people up to the outdoors so that they can have headspace . Not just a bit of a Country Park next door but linking to the greater network- but I’m not seeing any of that sadly . How short sighted !
By Debbie King
Will any of these be in the affordable range of a single working parent? If not whats the point of building more houses that people in the same situation can’t afford
By David Gordon
Has Halton Council any plans for new schools and a nhs doctors and dentist practice ?
By Hannah Roberts
Just to point out regarding dentists and doctor’s on cronton road the dentists are private only not NHS. And the doctor, is at Upton rocks that’s if you can get an appointment. I’m sure the the person in the comments who says bring it on. Won’t mind sitting in gridlock. Or finding an emergency dentist or Dr have a good day everyone
By Anonymous
We have lived on Norlands Lane over the last 40 years. Over this period the amount of traffic has rapidly increased! To date, trying to exit Norlands Lane due to excess traffic for Birchfield, Cronton and the 6th Form College all converging on the same mini roundabout is now at crisis point. We also have traffic queues for the M62. Some days it is grid locked. The area has been flooded with new housing estates! Loss of habitat through tree felling, green spaces lost. Enough is enough, as usual no infrastructure for more schools, surgeries etc. which 450 more houses will have a massive impact.
By Fitchett, Norlands Lane
WHY, does emergency traffic, ie fire engines , ambulances have to use Notlands Park entrance. ???? Is it because traffic will be to heavy for emergency traffic to get through.
Bloor homes obviously already know this. Hence plans for diverting them from the congestion .
By Joyce
Absolutely no way Cronton rd can take any more traffic it’s a nightmare as it is! Also Pex Hill is one of only a handful of places left offering a peaceful walk with the dog in nature and green space away from housing estates!
By Anonymous
No houses should be built there because the traffic volume the road couldn’t take it plus facilities i.e doctors dentists and all the facilities that Run together
By Steel