St Helens Borough Council Planning Committee approves plans for 445 new homes

Article date: 19 March 2025

The David Wilson Homes and Barratt Homes development, which is located on land south of Florida Farm, has been allocated for residential development under the St Helens Borough Local Plan and will deliver a mix of properties, including houses, apartments and bungalows, with 30 per cent of homes designated as affordable.

As part of the development, which will help the council meet its housing targets as set out in the Local Plan up to 2037, a total of £3,626,770 of Section 106 developer contributions have been secured towards early years, post-16 and SEND education; healthcare provision; highways improvements; sustainable travel infrastructure; and the enhancement of sports facilities at King Geroge V Playing Fields in Haydock.

Environmental considerations have also been central to the planning process, with on-site biodiversity net gain enhancements secured and the applicant submitting a detailed flood risk assessment and associated drainage strategy for which the Lead Local Flood Authority and the Environment Agency had raised no objections to.

Lisa Harris, Executive Director of Place Services at St Helens Borough Council, said: "The development of this site is a crucial part of the council's strategy to provide a range of much-needed high quality housing, including a high proportion of affordable units to help address the current housing crisis. It not only meets the requirements set out in the Local Plan and Housing Strategy but will also contribute to the provision of essential community infrastructure enhancements in the locality. 

"The development proposals have been adjusted through the lifetime of the application to ensure high standards of landscaping, street planting and environmental quality. It will also deliver significant social and economic benefits aligned with both local and national policies, including the government's updated housing delivery goals."