A LANDMARK project that aims to be the first step in revitalising St Helens town centre has seen an application submitted for reserved matters planning consent today.

Phase 1 covers 24 acres and will see a "tired" Hardshaw shopping centre replaced with a new town centre featuring new buildings and attractive public areas.

It will be created through a regeneration scheme being brought forward by St Helens Borough Council in partnership with the English Cities Fund (ECF).

Developers say the aim is to deliver "an ambitious vision to create a more vibrant, sustainable, and people-friendly town centre".

The £90m transformation plan is long-awaited with many Star readers expressing frustration at the paucity of change over the past decade.

Reserved matters planning applications include greater detail than a standard application.

What will the planning application include?

The planning application covers a new market hall flanked by a mixed-use area set around a 120-bedroom "globally branded" hotel.

The plans also include 64 new homes

A 75,000 sq ft office space

11,000 sq ft of modern retail space

Extensive high-quality public spaces

New bus station

A separate planning application in the next few weeks will cover the other main element of phase one - the replacement of an existing and outdated bus station with a new modern multi-modal transport interchange.

This will be part-funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as part of a major upgrade of sustainable travel facilities.

A statement from the ECF read: "By re-imagining the space where the enclosed Hardshaw Centre currently stands, the project will create new public spaces, better walking routes, and invite nature to flourish in high quality landscaped areas.

"Enhanced by trees, plants and wildlife, the overall project masterplan will deliver a Biodiversity Net Gain for St Helens of over 1000%, changing the look and feel of the town centre."

New bus station key part of the plans

Councillor David Baines, leader of St Helens Borough Council and Liverpool City Region Portfolio Holder for Net Zero and Air Quality, said: “We are ambitious for what can be achieved through this once-in-a-lifetime regeneration scheme, and we should all be excited about what the future holds.

"A huge amount of work has already gone into bringing our vision for a re-vitalised St Helens town centre to the stage of a reserved matters planning application, including the relocation of many shops out of the Hardshaw centre and into Church Square Shopping Centre, and months of extensive consultation with the public, businesses and other stakeholders. 

“We are determined to preserve and celebrate our local heritage in the detail and delivery of the project, but we are also looking to the future, with an attractive, thriving and sustainable town centre for families to enjoy.

"It’s not just about buildings and public spaces – it's about the jobs it will create in the delivery phase and years to come, the children it will inspire, and the pride it will give all of us in our home.

"Ensuring we have a well-connected, modern public transport system is key to this, and that's why I'm delighted with the ongoing work to deliver a new fit-for-purpose bus station.

"First impressions matter and it will create a positive arrival point into the town as well as being home to a hydrogen powered bus fleet, showing us leading the way on sustainable energy and transport just as we've led the way on so many things in the past.”

City region Mayor Steve Rotheram has set the Liverpool City Region an ambitious goal of achieving net zero by 2040, a decade ahead of the UK national target and he has stressed the importance of improving transport infrastructure.

In a statement, he said: “St Helens town centre is on an extraordinary journey of growth and, with such ambitious plans on the horizon, I’ve no doubt that we’ll be expecting to see much higher numbers of visitors over the next few years.

"That’s why it’s vital that we invest in quality, sustainable travel infrastructure to make sure the town can keep up with the increased demand.

“Once complete, this new interchange will be the first of its kind to be delivered under our franchised bus network – a move which is going to be nothing short of transformational for our area.

"St Helens will be the first to benefit from franchising and, together with our new publicly owned fleet of hydrogen buses on the busy 10A route and £2 bus fares, we’re setting a new standard for public transport in the town.

"Thanks to devolution, we’re well on our way to building a London-style transport network that’s faster, cheaper, cleaner and better connected.”

'Sustainable approach'

Stuart Rogers, director of project management at the English Cities Fund, commented: “Sustainability has driven every decision taken on this once-in-a-generation project and the design of new buildings reflects a belief we share that the future has to be shaped by reducing our impact on the environment.

"The Market Hall and new office, for example, will use exposed structural timber to create a modern, wooden environment, which significantly reduces the embodied carbon of the buildings.

"Our ambitious approach to sustainable design brings a range of health and wellbeing benefits.

"There is plenty of evidence to demonstrate that the right environments enhance creativity, focus and productivity.”

Phase 1 is expected to have a strong impact in terms of employment and Gross Value Added (GVA) - some 485 new jobs will be created across the development once it is fully occupied, generating £23.2 million GVA each year, according to the ECF.

The project is backed by St Helens Borough Council in the form of a £69.2 million funding package confirmed for phase 1. Support has also been made available in in the form of £21.49 million in grants from the UK Government and equity investment by ECF. Specifically, there are two related UK Government Town Deal grants totalling £10.49 million.

The phase one proposals have also been awarded £0.812 million from the One Public Estate Brownfield Land Release Fund to help deliver the residential element.

When could work start?

Subject to planning approval, the scheme will start on site in 2024. The anticipated timeline will begin with the demolition of the Hardshaw Centre through to completion of all the elements within phase 1 in late 2026.

Other hurdles that need to be overcome include relocating the remaining traders from the Hardshaw Centre and agreeing the location of a temporary bus station in St Helens.