Cityheart forges ahead with 300-home Widnes regen
Having kicked off phase one of the 20-acre Foundry Lane masterplan earlier this year, the developer has submitted plans for the remaining 240 homes.
Cityheart is requesting outline planning permission from Halton Council for the largest of two phases that make up the 300-home Widnes scheme it was selected to deliver in 2021.
The project would be built on a 13.6-acre brownfield site and comprise mainly single-family homes with some apartments with one- to four-bedrooms.
Corstorphine & Wright is the architect and Zerum is advising on planning. The project team also features MM Management Services, SGi Consulting Engineers, Curtins, and E3P.
Phase one, 63 homes for Plus Dane Housing, is currently being built by Watson Construction.
Together, the two phases will transform more than 20 acres of former industrial land in Halebank, including the former Stobart and Tarmac sites.
James Litherland, senior development manager at Cityheart, said: “The submission of plans for phase two at Foundry Lane marks an important milestone in this regeneration journey.
“It will connect the new neighbourhood to the centre of Halebank and regenerate one of the borough’s most challenging brownfield sites to deliver much needed high quality sustainable homes.
He added: “Our success to date has been through the formation of dynamic public private partnerships with the support of Halton Borough Council, so long may that continue”.
Cllr Phil Harris, Halton Council’s portfolio holder for housing strategy and development, said the scheme aligns well with the council’s brownfield-first approach to development.
“In the last 11 years 55% of the housing built in Widnes and Runcorn has been on brownfield sites,” he said.
”When the Foundry Lane site has been completed 300 more homes will have been built on brownfield land instead of green fields elsewhere. I also welcome the much-needed homes for social rent included on this site.”
The existing infrastructure will not support 800 additional homes in Halebank and there is no provision for healthcare or amenities for such a large scale increase in population for the area, its complete planning madness.
By John Anserton
I cannot believe that more houses have been built on brownfield sites. Hundreds have been built on farm land. There have been no new schools built , or doctors surgeries . The schools we have , are already
full . I remember this council pulling down a very good modern secondary school and building houses on the land.
By Anonymous
Are we really calling Fairfield a “very good modern secondary school”?
By Anonymous
Widnes town centre roads get extremely congested at peak times now and could not cope with all the extra road traffic these new properties will bring. All these new houses are not supported by the infrastructure in the area and will add even more pressure on GP surgeries, schools etc
By Geoff
the area around halebank is not in any way capable of coping safely with more traffic . it does not have any facilities to cope with more housing
By John scott
This is nowhere near Halebank. It’s in the town centre near the ice rink.
By Anonymous
Houses being built foundry lane and more to be built halebank road are in halebank try reading from the start –to anonymous
By John scott