Consultations and latest news

Consultations 

Community engagement in planning policy is one of the main ways local people can have their say in how development is managed in their area. The council is also required by law to allow local residents to read and comment on new local planning documents before they can be adopted. Therefore, the council consults on and communicates important information in the preparation of them.

August 2024

The St Helens Locally Listed Heritage Assets - Nomination Consultation has now closed. However, interested parties can still submit nominations by completing the Locally Listed Heritage Asset Nomination form.

What are we looking for?

Any building or structure of some significant historical or architectural interest can potentially be added to the list, particularly if it can be shown that it contributes to the character of an area and is valued by local people.

We would be particularly interested to hear of buildings and structures which are:

• substantially unaltered and retain the majority of their original features
• of local architectural value and include design qualities typical of the local area
• surviving examples of buildings/structures illustrating local architectural history or design and buildings associated with local historic events, strong community or socio-economic development significance (e.g. schools), people, locally or nationally important architects, engineers or designers
• individual buildings or groups of buildings which contribute positively to the local area - for example, key landmark buildings, notable buildings on important routes into the area, which create a vista or contribute to the skyline.

If you require any help in completing the Locally Listed Heritage Asset Nomination form, then please contact a member of the Development Plans team by telephone on 01744 676190, or by email at planningpolicy@sthelens.gov.uk.

Latest News 

April 2024

At the Council Cabinet meeting on 24 April 2024, having taken into account the representations received during earlier consultation drafts, St Helens Borough Council formally adopted the following Supplementary Planning Documents.

· Design Supplementary Planning Document (PDF) [46MB]

· Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning Document (PDF) [3MB]

· Open Space Provision and Enhancements Supplementary Planning Document (PDF) [1MB]

· Transport and Travel Supplementary Planning Document (PDF) [5MB]

The Design SPD will replace the 'Design Guidance' SPD (2007) and the 'New Residential Development' SPD (2010). The Transport and Travel SPD will replace the 'Ensuring a Choice of Travel' SPD (2010), 'Guidance Note for Travel Plans' (2016) and 'Guidance Notes for the Submission of Transport Assessments' (2016). As both the Developer Contributions and Open Space Provision and Enhancement SPDs are new documents, neither will be replacing any existing SPDs.

The SPDs will be used to inform decisions on land use planning in St Helens and are 'material considerations' in the decision making process, supporting the planning policies of the adopted Local Plan.

· Adoption Statement (PDF) [112KB]

· Consultation Statement (PDF) [1MB]

· List of Consultees (PDF) [147KB]

The proposals came into operation on 24 April 2024. Any person aggrieved by the SPDs may apply to the High Court for permission to apply for judicial review of the decision to adopt the SPDs. Such an application must be made promptly and in any event not later than three months after the date on which the SPD was adopted.

March 2024

The Call for Sites submission consultation is now closed. However, interested parties can still submit sites by emailing a Call for Sites Form and a location plan to planningpolicy@sthelens.gov.uk or by posting them to the following address: Planning Policy team, Development Plans, Development & Growth, Place Services, St Helens Borough Council, PO Box 512, St Helens, WA10 9JX.

Call for Sites Form (Word doc) [222KB] (opens new window)

Call for Sites Guidance Notes (PDF) [218KB] (opens new window)

Please note, any Green Belt sites submitted will not be assessed at this time. The council is specifically looking for brownfield or greenfield sites within the urban areas, and submissions will likely not be considered as part of the 2024 SHLAA but will be stored for use when we next prepare a relevant Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), study or Local Plan.

The council will give due consideration to all sites put forward, but they will be assessed against planning policy and other relevant planning considerations. Submitting details of a particular site does not guarantee that the council will include the site in the SHLAA and the council's housing supply. Furthermore, should a site be included in the council's updated SHLAA, its inclusion does NOT mean that the council will automatically approve future development through a planning application.

December 2023 

Both Rainford Parish Council and Windle Parish Council as the relevant bodies have had their applications to designate their parish areas as Neighbourhood Area's for the purposes of neighbourhood planning approved by St Helens Borough Council. This is the first step in preparing a Neighbourhood Plan, which once 'made' will become part of Development Plan (along with the Local Plan and any other relevant documents).   

Rainford Neighbourhood Area 

  Rainford PC Neighbourhood Area designation application (PDF) [191KB] (opens new window)
  Rainford PC Designation area map (PDF) [803KB] (opens new window)

Windle Neighbourhood Area 

Windle PC Neighbourhood Designation App form (PDF) [106KB] (opens new window)
Windle PC Neighbourhood Designation Area Map (PDF) [2MB] (opens new window)

Further information on Neighbourhood Planning is available here.

July 2022

The Local Plan was adopted at the council's Full Council meeting on 12 July 2022. 

St Helens Borough Local Plan up to 2037 (PDF) [25MB] (opens new window)
St Helens Borough Policies Map (PDF) [97MB] (opens new window)