Keepmoat gets green light for 500 Widnes homes
Halton Council voted to approve the reserved matters application, which will see the delivery of 400 market residences and 100 affordable ones on 56 acres of greenfield land.
The development represents a £116m investment for Keepmoat, whose proposals also include the provision for a school, extra care facility, and shops to be brought forward at a later date.
Situated off Hale Gate Road in Widnes, the site originally belonged to Harworth, who successfully (and narrowly) secured outline planning permission in 2024. Primary access is from Hale Gate Road and Halebank Road. The plot of land is allocated for housing within the Halton Delivery and Allocations Local Plan.
The affordable housing breaks down to 16 one-bedroom flats, 32 two-bedroom homes, and 52 three-bedroom residences. Of those properties, 26 will be for shared ownership, while the remainder will be affordable rent.
Market housing includes 12 one-bed flats, 36 two-bed homes, 216 three-bed residences, and 136 four-bed ones.
Katie Dean, North West land and partnerships director at Keepmoat, welcomed the committee’s decision.
“This is a significant milestone in seeing much-needed homes being built in the area, and we’re thrilled to have secured the reserved matters permission for this important new development,” she said.
“At Keepmoat we’re committed to creating sustainable, multi-tenure communities that prioritise well-designed neighbourhoods with high-quality homes, green spaces and abundant connections into the existing footpath and cycle networks.”
A name for the development will come from the winner of a competition between students at Hale Bank Primary School.
The project team included Lichfields, MPSL, Urban Green, Eddisons, BWB, IGE Consulting, and Betts Associates.
To see the application, search reference 25/00346/REM on Halton Council’s planning portal.
