St Helens tipped to sign off 514 homes

Taylor Wimpey’s plans for a neighbourhood on nearly 50 acres of greenfield land south of Gartons Lane have garnered the approval of the council’s planning officers.

Councillors will vote on whether they agree or disagree with the officer’s recommendation to approve the application during the planning committee meeting on 9 January.

The housebuilder’s application focuses on land that has been allocated for housing in the borough’s local plan. The neighbourhood would comprise of 359 market homes and 155 affordable ones.

Of the affordable, 103 would be designated as low-cost ownership and 52 set aside for affordable rent. These homes would have between one and four bedrooms and would be built in clusters throughout the application site.

The market homes would primarily have three bedrooms, with 93 having four. There would also be 48 two-bedroom homes.

Under plans drawn up by Astle Planning & Design, there would be 7.5 acres of open space, including a children’s play area.

While the project calls for the removal of 11 trees, Taylor Wimpey also signified its intent to plant 689 in their stead.

Vehicle access to the scheme would come from two points: one off Gartons Lane and one off Jubits Lane.

Lichfields is the planning consultant for the project. Curtins is advising on transport, Coopers on flood risk and drainage, and ERAP on ecology and biodiversity net gain.

Terra Consult is the ground investigation consultant, Urban Green the arboricultural expert, and Hepworths is the noise advisor. Randall Thorp is the landscape architect for the scheme. Award Energy is leading on the energy statement and TDS on the utilities feasibility study. RPS is charged with air quality.

You can learn more about the application by searching reference number P/2023/0075/FUL on St Helens planning portal.