Planning permission granted for 514 new homes on St Helens Local Plan allocated site

Article date: 11 January 2023

At a planning committee meeting this week, an application was heard for 514 dwellings - a mixture of one to four bed detached, semi-detached and terrace properties - on 20 hectares of land at Gartons Lane, with the site allocated for housing development in the Local Plan.  

Reflecting amendments recommended by council planning officers to ensure the development is of high quality and remains in keeping with the natural environment, a significant Section 106 contribution totalling more than £2m has been agreed by the developer, Taylor Wimpey, to support local infrastructure and services, including:  

• Improvements to bus stops, cycleways and footpaths linking to Bold Forest Park  
• Extra school places and healthcare provision  
• Play equipment at King George V playing fields in Sutton Manor   
• Biodiversity Net Gain, plus 689 trees to be planted across the housing site  

Welcoming approval, Councillor Richard McCauley, St Helens Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning said:   

"This development will make a significant contribution to addressing the borough's housing needs, which is an average of at least 486 additional dwellings per annum to 2037.  

"There is a strong focus on housing delivery across the UK, and this site has been rigorously tested through the Local Plan Review process, by an independent Planning Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State, who concluded that the site was suitable to deliver a significant level of new housing alongside financial contributions to support local infrastructure and services for the benefit of local communities.  

"A huge amount of credit deserves to go to our officers for their involvement in the planning application process to ensure that the development layout and overall quality of the scheme is the best it could possibly be with a good mix of affordable and desirable housing. 

"We are in the middle of a housing crisis, with over 7000 families on the council's housing list in St Helens alone. Everyone deserves the right to high quality housing and developments like this will provide a range of new opportunities. I look forward to seeing the development progress positively and hearing from the new residents." 

Planning approval was granted subject to several planning conditions including a local letting policy for the affordable housing element of the development ensuring people of Clock Face and surrounding areas are prioritised, a local employment scheme during construction and a Section 106 legal agreement, with works required to start within three-years of the date of decision notice.