St Helens town centre transformation: hundreds view plans

The team behind the project recently shared with the Star design ideas for new buildings which they believe will reflect the "proud heritage" of the town.

St Helens Borough Council and its project partner The English Cities Fund (ECF) are working on plans to transform the town centre, with the aim of restoring a genuine sense of pride in the area, along with design practice Planit-IE.

Aware of declining footfall figures and issues facing businesses, St Helens Council is trying to address this with its "once in a lifetime" regeneration plans.

Given the false dawns of the past, there remains a degree of public scepticism about the town centre proposals, but project leaders have said a development plan and funding in place work is expected to get underway next year.

An image of the modern market hall that is a central part of the transformation was released ahead of a further round of public consultation.

The area will feature approximately 23 stalls, food and beverage outlets, a bar and performance area.

There will also be a range of other amenities to encourage and cater for visitors through the daytime and evenings. 

An artist’s impression of the plans (Image: St Helens Council)

Aiming to bring more people into the town centre, the council also plans to build new office, retail and residential space, as well as the new market hall, a new and improved bus station and a hotel.

As the first phase of the regeneration plans will begin with the demolition of the Hardshaw Centre, changes have already begun as many businesses have taken up space in Church Square shopping centre, with the Hardshaw Centre now almost empty.

The first phase represents an investment of between £70m and £80m in the town.

The opening week of consultations drew more than 400 local people to the former Marks & Spencer store on Church Street, where the team has been answering detailed questions since Tuesday, May 23, and hearing feedback from residents. 

Further events will move to a series of new locations from Tuesday, May 30.

“Every single building within the phase one area has taken influence from local ‘St Helens-ness’ and doing a modern interpretation,” said Danny Marsh, principal landscape architect at Planit-IE.

“All of the buildings are unique to St Helens, it’s not like we are taking a footprint from Warrington.

“The public realm refers to Greenalls Brewery in the street furniture and the glass.

“All of that detail needs to be developed.” There will be architecture that “reflects the glass heritage, there’s all of these references to St Helens within the designs.”

Mr Marsh said that previous projects the architects have been involved with include the transformation of Atrincham town centre,  including the arrival of Altrincham Market and Food Hall, which helped the town be named  The Sunday Times' 'Best Place to Live in the North West of England' in 2021.

“What is good about this (the St Helens plans) is that there is a mix of uses, you can’t put all your eggs in one basket,” he added.

“Providing offices, some residential, a hotel and retail is creating almost a community in the town centre.

“Town centres have evolved from being only retail destinations.

“I’m excited about what is happening here. You can see there is a real passion from the people to understand what’s going on.”  

Cllr Richard McCauley, St Helens Council cabinet member for regeneration and housing, added: “We’re delighted with the response so far and it has been rewarding to hear from a mix of people representing all areas of the community.

“The passion for improving St Helens and making sure the town capitalises on its strengths and opportunities sits behind much of what we have heard so far.

“There’s a great deal of interest in the market hall and, more broadly, in how we bring about deliver a viable, safe and sustainable place where people want to be.

“Above all else, there’s just a sense that people just want to see it happen.”

The next series of consultation events have been confirmed and final round will be announced shortly, with details posted on St Helens Council’s social media accounts and via the consultation website www.sthelenstowncentre.co.uk, where members of the community can also view the plans and submit feedback.

• Tuesday 30 May (3pm – 7pm) Outside the Co-op store, Church Road, Rainford
• Wednesday 31 May (2pm – 6pm) Newton-le-Willows Health & Fitness
• Thursday 1st June – (3pm -7pm) Dane Court Shopping Centre, Rainhill 
• Friday 2nd June – (3pm – 7pm) Queens Park Health & Fitness 
• Monday 5th June – (3pm – 7pm) Thatto Heath Local Centre Car Park 
• Wednesday 7th June – (3pm – 7pm) Asda Foyer, Kirkland Street, St Helens

The consultation taking place now is focused on the first phase of plans to redevelop the town centre and covers a new market hall that will be flanked by a mixed-use area set around a 150-bedroom hotel, 64 homes and 10,915 sq ft modern retail space, along with a new 49,670 sq ft sustainable office building. The consultation will close Monday, June 12, 2023.

St Helens Borough Council is working on a 20-year regeneration plan for the area with the ECF - a strategic joint venture between nationwide placemaker, Muse, Legal & General, one of the UK’s leading financial services groups and major global investor, and the government’s housing and regeneration agency, Homes England. 

Earlestown has its own dedicated focus within the wider strategy, with an initial focus on updating the town’s market square and town hall, a project boosted by the award of £20 million last year from the government’s Levelling Up Fund.