‘Bold steps’: final versions of town centre masterplans approved

St Helens Council and its partner regeneration experts, English Cities Fund (ECF), launched masterplan development frameworks for the regeneration of the two town centres in October last year.

The proposals have been updated following feedback during a public consultation.

The frameworks set out “multi-million-pound visions and principles” for each area.

The updated blueprints now include high-quality parking provision in St Helens town centre which will cater for shoppers and night-time visitors, along with plans to work closely with traders on the right type of weather-proof market space for the historic Earlestown Market.

A report on the issue came before the council’s cabinet at its meeting today, Wednesday.

How street scene plans for St Helens look as part of the vision

It is now proposed that a new multi-storey car park should be incorporated into the masterplan framework for St Helens town centre to help meet the future parking demand and requirements of the town.

Locations for the site “will be explored” alongside the detailed phased development delivery plan.

Deputy council leader Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron, who is the cabinet member for reset and recovery, hailed the efforts of the council.

He said “these are bold steps” and the decisions “won’t be made again for years” if the council gets it right.

He added: “The public can’t say that they’ve not been consulted because the response is fantastic and they agree with what we’ve put forward.

“It’s good stuff, it’s expensive but it’s right and the public get that.

“It’s great and it’s an honour to be here be involved in it and I can’t wait to see it being delivered going forward for whatever generations come.”

The ECF is a national development joint venture between leading urban regenerator, Muse Developments, Legal & General and Homes England.

The first phase in St Helens town centre will include an enhanced sense of arrival with a new bus station, a new market hall in the centre of the town, a new high quality office space, high quality homes for town centre living, an international hotel brand and extensive public realm improvements.

Earlestown will be transformed

Meanwhile, the first phase in Earlestown town centre will include enhancing Market Square with a partially covered market area, flexible events space and landscape improvements, as well as improvements to key high streets between the rail station and the Market Square to make the environment more welcoming and pedestrian friendly in support of local businesses.

Huge step forwards

Cllr Richard McCauley, cabinet member for regeneration and planning, said: “This is a huge step forward for our borough and as a cabinet we are delighted that the plans have had the backing from the public.

“It shows that businesses, residents and visitors are ready for us to get to work in transforming Earlestown and St Helens town centres.

“Now our focus is on putting forward the planning applications for the first phase of each project, which will be submitted in the coming months, so that the much-needed transformation of these town centres can start as soon as possible.”