St Helens' regeneration is a 'passion project we want to get right'

As the Star has previously reported, 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.

Amid a backdrop of declining footfall and issues facing businesses, the "once in a lifetime" regeneration plans seek to give the town a new lease of life.

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Given false dawns in the past, a degree of public scepticism has been voiced about the town centre proposals, but council leader David Baines said, following public consultations held in the spring, he believes residents are becoming more confident that the project will become a reality.

Project leaders invited the Star for an interview about the progress on the project and said more than 1,300 people engaged with the consultation earlier this year.

A development plan and funding is in place work is expected to get underway next year.

A CGI of St Helens town centre's regeneration plans

“I think people’s first reaction was ‘it will never happen’, now I think that’s changing, people are accepting that it’s going to happen,” said Cllr Baines.

“There has been a consistent message of ‘get on with it’. People just want it to happen which I completely understand, as a resident myself I want it to happen.

The regeneration has been described as a “passion project” by those involved, with co-founder of Planit-IE Pete Swift born and raised in the town himself.

Pete Swift, co-founder of Planit-IE; Councillor David Baines, leader of St Helens Council and Stuart Rogers, project director of Muse Places/English Cities Fund

Of the feedback received from the St Helens public, Pete said: “That is a city-scale level of engagement, that you’d expect for a big project in the middle of Manchester or Liverpool,” said Pete.

Increasing the offerings for children and young people in the town centre is also another aim of the project.

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.

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.

Pete added the plans aim to ensure the regeneration “works for the individual and the town” in its mission to revive the town centre.

“Civic pride hasn’t disappeared, it is harder to find.”

A CGI of St Helens town centre's regeneration plans

One thing those behind the regeneration emphasise is the “St Helens-ness” of the project and that it will be designed to reflect the town’s unique identity.

References to St Helens’ heritage are to be a “massive aspect” of the plans with plenty of elements to “stir up people’s memories”.

Among them will be an outdoor ‘Kes’ play area, a reference to the ‘kid eating snake’ which was a much-loved feature of the Hardshaw Centre that many residents will have memories of from bygone years.

Other aspects will include a ‘Pilkington blue’ colour scheme and the art décor will reflect the town. The public realm will refer to Greenalls Brewery in the street furniture and the glass.

Project leaders say a reserved matters planning application, setting out the finer details of phase one, is expected to be submitted later this year.

“These things take time, especially to do it right, to do it to the quality that St Helens demands,” added Cllr Baines.

“We are very aware this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing and we want to get it right.”