PLANS in relation to a link road as part of major housing project which will see the biggest bronwnfield development in St Helens' Local Plan have been submitted.

BXB Cowley Hill Ltd, the joint venture between brownfield land specialist BXB and Promenade Estates, has submitted a planning application to St Helens Council for an internal spine road to service the huge housing site.

The move coincides with remediation commencing on the first of four plots being brought to market in the coming years on the 104-acre site, which has consent for 1,100 homes.

Work has now begun to prepare the site and provide end users with a development platform that will facilitate the delivery of new homes on Plot 1, a 12.7-acre site with consent for 220 homes, a children’s play area and an acre of public amenity space. 

The developer announced in December that it would be undertaking the delivery of the site preparation works and the construction of the internal spine road itself rather than factoring it into the plot prices for developers.  The move is to take advantage of the technical work already completed and the in-house expertise within the joint venture partners.

The application for the site’s key internal road will provide the required infrastructure to service all four plots, explains Gary Goodman of BXB.

“The delivery of the road unlocks the whole site as this application confirms the finished development platform level for the entire plot, drainage and other infrastructure, entrances and the site-wide landscaping and boundary treatments. It will coincide with the development platforms being completed on Plot 1 and provide an oven-ready solution for house-builders.

“This is the biggest brownfield housing allocation in the Liverpool city region and the phasing is geared towards the market’s run rate in a popular suburb such as Cowley.”

The road runs through the entire site, connecting with the existing highway network at College Street and creating a new vehicle access at Washway Lane.

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Gary Goodman added: “It is only when this entrance is created that the local population will understand the scale of the development. The physical and economic impact of bringing this brownfield site back into productive use cannot be underestimated and it will have a massive positive impact on the town of St Helens. As a developer who pride themselves on delivery we are pleased to see this challenging brownfield site being brought forward against the backdrop of a difficult financial climate.”  

BXB and Promenade successfully secured planning consent for up to 1,100 new homes, a hotel and commercial space off College Street, north of St Helens town centre, in March 2022.  Cowley Hill Works is the largest brownfield land allocation within St Helens’ local plan, which was adopted by the council in July 2021.   The redevelopment of the site is expected to generate capital expenditure of £200m, with a further £15m expected to be spent on goods and services each year by the new residents and £1.5m of annual council tax receipts generated on full occupation.

The joint venture intends to retain the commercial element of the consent, which will be delivered once the housing sites have been sold. 

Curtins are the highways engineers for the project, with Nexus the planning consultants.

A standard consultation on the reserved matters application lasts until Wednesday, August 9.

A determination deadline has been set for October 12.