Stoford and Liberty plot Widnes warehouse

Developers Liberty Property Trust and Stoford are set to get the go-ahead to build a 107,000 sq ft warehouse on a site next to the West Coast Mainline in Widnes.

The six-acre site forms part of a wider development alongside the railway line, which will include two further industrial units.

Stoford and Liberty have put in a full planning application for the first unit, which features a 101,000 sq ft warehouse with 5,100 sq ft of offices. This has been designed by UMC Architects.

The site was formerly used as a railway timber sleeper treatment facility, which was in use until the 1990s, but this has since been demolished leaving the site largely vacant. Access will be via Newstead Road and a new access road running alongside the railway; these will link to the A562 Speke Road.

The wider site is set to host around 466,000 sq ft of employment space once fully built out.

Halton Council’s planning officers have recommended the first unit on the site for approval when the council’s planning committee meets next week, although there have been objections from Hale Bank Parish Council.

The parish council argued there would be additional noise, lighting, and traffic caused by the construction of the first unit, which is around 25% larger than originally set out in the outline planning application for the site, approved in 2016.

However, planning officers said these issues could be “adequately resolved and addressed by update to the committee, and/or appropriate planning conditions as required”.

Halton’s planning committee is due to discuss the proposals on 3 September. GVA How is planner for the project.