Plans for 14 'speculative' units at St Helens industrial estate passed

Proposals were drawn up in late 2023 for the construction of the units, and ancillary external works, at the former Suregrow Garden Centre premises, on Collins Industrial Estate, off Merton Bank Road.

Plans were sent to the council by applicant John Martlew, of MBC Ltd.

The proposal site is situated off Merton Bank Road, in a predominantly commercial/industrial use area with Collins Industrial Estate directly to the east, and the Barge Business Park directly to the north.

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A design and access statement, prepared by Lynwoods Building Consultancy, said the plans comprise of 13 5,43sq ft units and one 1,086 sq ft unit, together with ancillary external works.

The proposed units “are to be arranged in two separate blocks: a block of eight units arranged in an ‘L’ shape at the north of the site, and a block of six units at the south of the site.

Town hall planners have given the go-ahead to the speculative development (Image: St Helens Star)

“The ‘L’-shaped block of units to the north of the site naturally follows the shape of the site and echoes the layout of the units on the adjacent Barge Business Park site directly to the north”.

Plans added the existing site “covers a gross external area of approx. 2,724m²” and that the proposal “does not include any plans to extend the existing site area or to alter the boundary positions or shape of the site”.

The plans stated that the units will be “no more than 6m in height to the apex of the roof ridges” and, the proposed units “will sit approximately 2.25m lower than the existing units to Collins Industrial Estate at the rear of the site and will therefore not dominate the existing street scene”, it was said.

Meanwhile, the car parking layout has been altered under the plans to provide a maximum of 15 parking spaces, including two accessible parking bays (at opposite ends of the site); two electric vehicle charging bays and 11 standard parking bays.

The application form stated: “Proposed units are speculative units intended for commercial/light industrial use and each individual occupier may have different requirements.

“Any plant or machinery will be fitted inside the units by the future occupiers and so cannot be reasonably determined at this stage.”

'Employment and economic benefits'

Recommending approval for the scheme, planning officer Jennifer Bolton said "the units would provide small scale industrial/commercial units which would deliver employment and economic benefits on an underutilised brownfield site in the urban area of the borough".

She added: "The proposal is considered to maintain and enhance the character and appearance of the local environment in-accordance with policy LPD01 of the Local Plan".

Planning approval was granted.