Rayner calls in SOG’s 545 Runcorn homes
Large-scale regeneration plans to transform Heath Business and Technical Park into a neighbourhood with a hotel, extra care facilities, conference centre, shops, and offices have reached a standstill after the secretary of state called in the application over public safety concerns.
Halton Council had voted to approve the outline planning application from SOG Group in May. The project was described as similar to Wirral’s Port Sunlight by the developer.
SOG’s scheme focused on two plots: one at Heath Business and Technical Park and one on land north of Heath Road South. Together, they mounted to 57 acres and include the former home to the headquarters of the chemical company ICI.
Hundreds of objections followed the application, with concerns about the site’s proximity to the Runcorn Chemical Complex and ground contamination. The Health and Safety Executive was one of those who had registered an issue with the project.
These safety concerns are what led Rushanara Ali MP, parliamentary under secretary of state for building safety and homelessness, to call in the application on behalf of deputy prime minister Angela Rayner.
The letter announcing the call-in states that Rayner is looking for more information on the following three points, as written in the document:
- The extent to which the proposed development raises issues of risk to public safety.
- The extent to which the proposed development is consistent with the NPPF and the development plan for the area
- Any other matters the Inspector considers relevant
An inquiry date has been set to discuss the application on 4 February.
SOG spokesman Paul Smith said the group was “naturally disappointed” by the call-in, noting that its application had been approved unanimously by Halton Council.
“SOG concur with statements made by councillors at the meeting who raised their own deep concerns about the risk assessment presented to them by the HSE, which formed the basis of their objection,” Smith said.
“SOG will fully support Halton Borough Council in their opposition to this ‘call in’ but we also feel that as the only real point of contention is the perceived risk, this issue could be resolved speedily through the ‘adversarial procedure’, a legal process that might avoid the necessity of a time consuming and very costly public inquiry,” he continued.
“Ultimately, Heath Park is an innovative scheme that has been meticulously researched and is one which the Council unanimously approved. The masterplan for Heath Park has already won two prestigious national awards and our scheme is promoted in the government’s Global Investment Atlas worldwide. Heath Park has also been declared a ‘Beacon Project’ by Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram.
“Our scheme will deliver growth in Runcorn and will bring the much-needed new quality housing that Halton Borough Council and the Liverpool City Region desperately needs.”
WSP is the planner for the SOG scheme. The project team also includes Amenity Tree, Greengage, ESG, RAS, LK Group, and EcoResponsive Environments.
You can explore the plans by searching application reference number 22/00569/OUT on Halton Council’s planning portal. To view the appeal page on the Planning Inspectorate’s casework portal, use reference APP/D0650/V/24/3352472.
