Ambitious plans put forward for former Pilkington site
A masterplan that will see the transformation of the former Watson Street Works, a strategic town centre brownfield site, will be discussed at St Helens Borough Council's Cabinet.
Article date: March 11 2025
The plan proposes a vibrant mixed-use development comprising circa 764 new homes and 150,000sqft of commercial development, ancillary retail and leisure, alongside extensive public realm and high-quality structured landscaping, and with the retention and utilisation of some key non-designated heritage assets.
The report states: "After nearly 200 years of pioneering activities, glass manufacturing at Pilkington UK's Watson Street Works ceased in February 2024 and in one of the single biggest UK investments by Pilkington for many decades, all production and associated jobs were successfully transferred to the adjacent Greengate Works site.
"Extending to circa 30 acres of brownfield (previously developed) land located on the southern edge of St Helens town centre, Pilkington UK's decision to cease manufacturing operations at Watson Street Works has provided a strategically important windfall opportunity to redevelop the site for the continued positive benefit of the borough, complementing the ECF St Helens town centre regeneration initiatives.
"The Watson Street site now forms an integral part of the St Helens Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Campus, which is already home to Glass Futures, SINA Medical Glass and Inovus Medical. The site is also an integral component of the Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Investment Zone, being one of its three designated tax sites, offering financial benefits to businesses relocating and expanding in the area.
"To maximise the sites potential contribution to the borough and to guide appropriate future development proposals, the council and Pilkington UK (assisted by other key stakeholders) have commissioned production of an aspirational masterplan for Watson Street."
Councillors will be asked to approve the masterplan and continue to engage with Pilkington UK and strategic partners (including Homes England and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority) to help turn the masterplan into reality. Read more on the plans here: St Helens Borough Council Committee Report
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