Halton to give nod to 136-home neighbourhood
The council will consider a Morris Homes application to build a mix of property types on a 17-acre site at Preston-on-the-Hill, south of the M56.
Via agent Mosaic Town Planning, the developer has proposed 136 red-brick homes, split into 16 two-bed apartments, 45 three-bed homes, 41 four-bed detached houses, and 34 affordable homes.
Of the affordable properties, nine first homes, 19 affordable rent homes, and six shared ownership properties would be offered.
The two-bed apartments would offer residents views over the adjacent Cheshire Ring Canal, which will also benefit from a waterside cycleway.
The remainder of the properties would be arranged in clusters of varying house sizes.
A previous application for 151 homes was amended and the number of units brought down to 136. The former Green Belt site has been allocated as land for residential development in Halton’s local plan.
To mitigate the loss of green space, the developer will be required to include enhanced green infrastructure and recreation space, woodland planting, landscaping and visual elements, and improvements to biodiversity.

The site is sandwiched by the M56, Chester Road, and the Cheshire Ring Canal to its west. Credit: Google Earth
Contributions to active travel provision, such as installing walkways and cycleways, are laid out in Section 106 obligations.
Consultants on the scheme include transport specialist Mode, landscape architect Barnes Walker, and engineer MV Kelly.
In addition, UES, TDS technical and development services, and Ascerta are working on the project.
To view the application, use the reference number 22/00203/FUL in Halton Council’s planning portal.
I hope that the planners consider the roofing and ensure that they are inclined in such a way that solar panels can be added if they are not incorporated.
I live on a 20 year old estate where gables and poor directional positions means that fewer than half the houses are suitable.
By George Cook
This area is already a very busy and dangerous spot, By adding more exits and entrances, creating more traffic will only add to danger the people living in the area are already facing, and who on earth would want to live on top of the M56 anyway.
By Brannigan
Why green belt land again. There are numerous brown sites across both Runcorn and Widnes. Surely it’s time to develop these
By Sandra Davison
There seems to be no regard to the detriment effect on the increase in traffic within the area. The A56 is a busy road and the access points will only put extra congestion at peak times no the mention the added problems when there is an incident on the near by M56 . Also no thought has been put into the lack of suitable schools and health care within the area. Another case of Halton Council’s total lack of understanding regarding the community’s concerns.
By Martin Roberts
What about the infrastructure? As usual no schools, health centre, dentist, even more pressure on Halton & Warrington hospitals, the Ambulance service is already struggling, the Police don’t have the resources to Police the extra areas, the Fire Brigade would be hard pushed to get to a house fire in time to rescue someone. The M56 is struggling to cope with traffic as it is.
By Tony Miller
Knock down old dhs building by the shopping city and build there instead of taking away green belt land
By Anonymous