JV’s 1,100-home Pilkington plan to progress 

BXB Cowley Hill’s mixed-use scheme, to be built on the site of the former Pilkington Glass Works north of St Helens town centre, also features proposals for a 100-bedroom hotel. 

The developer, a joint venture between Promenade Estates and land development company BXB, lodged plans to redevelop the 104-acre site last year. 

The plot is the largest brownfield allocation within St Helens’ local plan.

Under the proposals, which are recommended for approval when St Helens Council’s planning committee meets on 16 March, existing buildings on the site are to be demolished, paving the way for the delivery of 1,100 homes over four phases.  

The first phase would comprise 198 homes and later phases of 328, 289, and 285 would follow. 

The application also seeks consent for up to 43,000 sq ft of flexible commercial space, much of which is earmarked for a hotel. Other potential uses include retail units, bars and restaurants, and offices. 

The development is to occupy land that was formerly the Pilkington Glass Cowley Hill Works site. NSG Pilkington UK, which has sold the land to BXB Cowley Hill, will continue to operate from its current glass-coating factory on a 40-acre site next to the proposed housing development. 

Nexus Planning is the planning consultant for the project, which was designed by architect Brock Carmichael. 

Gary Goodman, director of BXB, said: “Cowley Hill is a sustainable site but very complicated to deliver due to its historic use and on-site constraints. However, the planning application process has enabled BXB Cowley Hill to demonstrate that the site can finally be delivered and provide much needed family housing on this key brownfield location.

“We are pleased that the application is being presented to the committee without any planning objections and with the support of the local community.”

And Promenade’s managing director Daniel Hynd added: “Our focus is to help local authorities deliver on their housing agendas and this is a significant demonstration of how we hope to meet that promise.

“The social and economic gains for St Helens and bringing such a large site back to productive use will be substantial and I hope that view is shared by the planning committee.”