Torus’ £63m St Helens project gathers pace

Comprising 295 affordable homes to be delivered by Watkin Jones, the housing association’s scheme marks the third phase of Harworth’s 900-home Moss Nook masterplan.

The site was unlocked by £2m of brownfield land funding from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to prepare the land for residential use so a new neighbourhood can be created between Sutton, Parr and Bold.

Torus bought its remediated 19.5-acre site from master-developer Harworth in November, and has received £19.4m of grant funding from Homes England. Watkin Jones has been appointed as contractor on the project, which will include homes for social rent, affordable rent, rent to buy and shared ownership.

Director of development and technical at Torus, Steve Alcock, said: “Providing sustainable new properties in St Helens with a range of housing types and tenures is a key part of our development programme, offering people affordable homes that are energy-efficient.

“Moss Nook takes our total number of new homes under construction in St Helens to 1,080 across nine sites.

“In order to make an impression on the town’s housing waiting lists and reduce demand, we need to deliver in volume and we are looking forward to continuing at pace with the aim of completing all 295 homes by 2028.

“The land has sat derelict for decades so the scheme and the wider regeneration it forms part of, will revitalise this area of St Helens.”

• BOOK NOW: Place RESI 2025

There will be a mixture of two, three and four-bedroom houses, apartments and mews homes, with air source heat pumps and EV chargers.

Cllr Graham Morgan, LCR CA’s cabinet member for housing and regeneration, said: “It’s great to see this progress at Moss Nook which is seeing derelict land transformed into a thriving new community.

“That’s what our Brownfield Land Fund is all about and why we were pleased to invest £2m into the project to help remediate the site and make it ready for new homes.

“Through this fund we’re creating more than 4,500 new homes across the city region, giving families the opportunity to live in a high-quality home; attract new funding into towns and cities; and, help us retain talent to grow our economy. New homes are an investment in the future.”

James Crow, national director of place at Harworth Group, said: “It is great to welcome Torus and their future residents to our Moss Nook development. Phase three was conceived as a mixed tenure development to help us build a diverse and sustainable community there.

“Working with Torus and Watkin Jones early in the planning process has helped us take a design-led approach that will create a real asset for the wider community. I look forward to seeing it come out of the ground.”

Phase one of the Moss Nook development saw 258 homes built by Taylor Wimpey, while consent was secured in November 2023 by Harworth to deliver a £3m sports facility across 21 acres at Cromdale Grove recreation ground as phase two.

Harworth secured planning permission for Torus’ scheme from St Helens Council in April last year.