Plans in for 48-acre Penwortham Mills

Trafford Housing Trust’s proposals for 330 homes and a Lidl supermarket at the site south of Preston have been submitted by AFL Architects in a detailed masterplan with phased delivery proposals.

THT, which is also advised by Savills, acquired the site last year and talked of its plans in May. Bovis had previously secured a consent for 385 homes at the former industrial site, which was vacated in 2006.

Housing at the project will range from one-bedroom to four-bedroom mixed tenure homes, along with retail and 8.5 aces of public open space.

The phases are:

• Phase 1 – 117 homes and a new retail store at the larger eastern section of the site, and 29 new homes at the western Sumpter Horse pub site, connected by landscape corridors
• Phase 2 – 105 homes at the central and northern section of the main eastern part of the site
• Phase 3 – 71 homes at the site of former Penwortham Mill buildings in the north-eastern part of the site

The Sumpter Horse site, part of the detailed phase one proposals, will deliver 100% affordable housing. Some homes will also be targeted at the older community, working in conjunction with South Ribble Borough Council.

Matt Quayle, senior associate at AFL Architects said: “There is an enormous opportunity to create a thriving community on this site, through attractive placemaking, ecological enhancements and accessibility, and real affordable housing.”

Fred Crawshaw, senior commercial manager at THT, said: “The plans include the delivery of new public open space and upgraded footpath links to the nearby reservoir, which through new trees, shrub planting and retention ponds will deliver an ecological enhancement and improvement in biodiversity far better than the existing use of the land.

 “By submitting a planning application residents and local businesses can have their say on the development, which we are confident will be welcomed in and around Penwortham. If we get planning permission we intend to be on site in the summer.”

 AFL said that opportunities for ecological enhancement have been “catalysed” throughout the masterplan, with elements including a proposed western stream wooded corridor and a western open space spur to Leyland Road as non-vehicular access to the site is promoted.

The existing Lake Wood reservoir is to see improved or new walkways, routes and seating, and be linked to the Old Tramway national cycle route.

The range of housing at the site runs from apartments and bungalows to detached four-bedroom houses.

Lidl said that feedback so far is positive. The grocer’s regional head of property Stuart Jardine said: “We have received an incredible amount of support from the local community. If granted this would mark a multi-million-pound investment in the area, and the creation of new jobs when the store opens.”

Bovis secured its consent in 2015, later winning an appeal to remove a condition over access.

Street scene at the Sumpter Horse part of the site