Approval nears for Runcorn district centre

Plans for a mixed-use retail-led centre in Sandymoor, along with proposals for nearly 400 homes, are set to be approved by Halton Council.

If both applications are approved at the meeting this week, 236 homes along with nearly 150 extra-care and retirement apartments are set to be built in the Sandymoor area of Runcorn.

The district centre, covering a four-acre vacant plot around Sandymoor Community Hall, is being brought forward by a joint venture between Lane End and Williams Tarr Construction.

The proposals are for 43 one and two-bedroom apartments, as well as five bungalows; along with a children’s day nursery and five retail units. The largest of these at 4,500 sq ft has been set aside for a convenience store, with the further units providing between 1,000 sq ft and 1,500 sq ft each.

The centre is designed to serve both existing homes in Sandymoor as well as further proposed development at the 363-acre site.

The scheme will front Otterburn Street, with the elderly living apartment block to the right of the popular community centre. Parking will be at the front of the site, with the nursery and five retail units, clad in brick and timber, behind and the convenience store to the left, shielded from Pitts Heath Lane by trees.

Along with the proposals for a local centre, Galliford Try is bringing forward 236 homes and a 100-bedroom retirement scheme nearby.

The proposals are for a plot to the east of Village Street, which will link two existing residential developments to the north and south. These have been delivered by David Wilson Homes and Morris Homes in the last decade; development of the Sandymoor site began in the 1980s.

Gallford Try agreed a deal with Together Housing to deliver the scheme this summer; under this deal, the partners will deliver a mix of 236 homes, split between two, three, and four-bed properties which will be available for open market sale via Galliford Try Partnership’s housebuilding arm, Linden Homes.

As well as the homes, Galliford Try will also build an 100-apartment extra care scheme, which will be owned by Halton Housing. All these properties will be developed over a phased basis and the development is due to complete in 2024.

Both projects, designed by architect PRP, have been recommended for approval by Halton Council’s planning committee, which meets on 7 October.

Urban Green is also engaged as landscape architect on the local centre.

Your Comments

Read our comments policy

Think this council should be dealing with the boarded up building’s opposite shopping city and do a huge makeover of the old town.Too much green land is being used up in Runcorn whilst the old town should be redeveloped with new shops and housing. Also shopping city will never be used to full capacity because the units are unaffordable. Why build more shops at sandymoor.

By R Bannister

As a resident of Walsingham Drive since 1999 it appears that it is time to leave Sandymoor before it deteriorates in to an over run under funded mass of cheap and social housing. Sell up while your house is still worth money…

By Ray Yale

Urban green !
What are these people being employed for there won’t be any green left for them to look after.
Have the people of sandymoor been asked how they feel about all this development. ?
Or has this already been rubber stamped
It will be like
They ask what shops do you want in the local centre
Then
Tell us what shops are going to go there
Again rubber stamped
Always been the same

By Debra

We don’t need it

By Rob Meneice

Ray Vale you’re a snob

By Karen Bury

Related Articles

Sign up to receive the Place Daily Briefing

Join more than 13,000 property professionals and receive your free daily round-up of built environment news direct to your inbox

Subscribe

Join more than 13,000 property professionals and sign up to receive your free daily round-up of built environment news direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

"*" indicates required fields

Your Job Field*
Other regional Publications - select below