Halton pushes ahead with Widnes HQ demolition

The council has applied to itself for permission to knock down the seven-storey Municipal Building to pave the way for the site’s redevelopment. 

Earlier this year, Halton Council announced its intention to vacate and demolish its Widnes HQ as part of a cost cutting drive. 

Now, the authority has taken the next steps towards razing the Kingsway building with the submission of an application for the work.  

According to a document prepared by Cassidy + Ashton and submitted with the application, demolition work will not begin until January 2028. 

Once the building has been pulled down, the 0.8-acre site would be sold for redevelopment. 

To learn more about the demolition plans, search for reference number 26/00205/DEM on Halton Council’s planning portal. 

Halton is under pressure to reduce its overheads and balance its books. The authority is currently forecast to overspend for the financial year by £1.2m, even with the help of almost £30m of exceptional financial support from the government. 

At present, Halton Council spends £10m annually on its estate, according to a review by JL Property Solutions. 

In April, Place North West revealed Halton was also looking at the possibility selling the DCBL Stadium, the 13,200-capacity stadium that is home to Widnes Vikings Rugby League side.