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ST HELENS TOWN CENTRE REGENERATION
Public Consultation Website
WELCOME
St Helens Borough Council and the English Cities Fund (ECF) are bringing forward ambitious plans to transform St Helens town centre via a once-in-a-lifetime regeneration project.
We want our town centre to be child and family-friendly, safe
and sustainable thriving places for local businesses, shoppers, visitors, and
residents, and that’s what our plans will help to deliver.
As part of this
process, we conducted an extensive public consultation to present more
information about Phase One of the development, with a series of events held
across the borough. The consultation is now closed but over the following
pages you can view of proposals which have been shaped to benefit you – someone
who lives, works or plays in St Helens.
THE MASTERPLAN
MASTERPLAN DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
The vision for the new town centre has been set out within a document called the Masterplan Development Framework. The document was created to guide and support the positive transformation of the town centre, ensuring that the development coming forward is of high quality, is sustainable and has the people of St Helens at its heart. It provides an aspirational vision for the town centre, with a focus on deliverable transformation. The Masterplan Development Framework was adopted by St Helens Borough Council in February 2022.
PHASE ONE
In September 2022, the council’s planning committee voted to grant planning permission for the first phase of the masterplan.
That planning application was a ‘hybrid’ application, which sought detailed permission for various demolition works to make way for the regeneration project. It also established the outline principles of the project, for a new hotel, bus station, offices, market, residential units, a park and community and learning space.
That hybrid application was the first of a number of planning applications that are needed to deliver Phase One of the town centre regeneration. We are now preparing to submit a second planning application, called a Reserved Matters application, to establish more detailed information about the design, landscaping, and layout of the first phase.
A further Reserved Matters planning application for the bus station component of the Phase One development will be submitted in due course.
THE SITE
OUR VISION FOR PHASE ONE
Delivery of this ambitious town centre development will be phased to maximise benefits to the local area and help minimise disruption.
We are bringing forward an initial first phase of development, which will kickstart our vision for the future.
Our second planning application for Phase One will establish further details around the design including scale and appearance of buildings, landscaping, layout and access of the proposals.
Our vision for the bus station is part of the Phase One scope of works but will sit within a separate Reserved Matters planning application.
PHASE ONE WILL INCLUDE:
- A new Grade A office;
- A 150 bed branded hotel;
- A new modern market hall, incorporating food and beverage stalls;
- New homes, including apartments and townhouses;
- New retail units;
- Extensive public spaces linking the new development to the bus station and Church Square.
- A new and extended bus station.
MARKET HALL - NEW BARS, COFFEE SHOPS, DELI AND STREET FOOD
A new Market Hall will act as the hub of the town centre, creating a vibrant and energetic destination that boosts the local economy.
Visitors will find a selection of foods from around the world and homegrown. Artisan street food, independent coffee shops, fresh food, and retail space will provide local businesses with access to a larger and more diverse audience of customers.
A stage for performers will add to the vibrant atmosphere, where visitors will enjoy entertainment alongside quality food and drink.
The Hall’s stunning design will incorporate timber beams and there is potential to feature stained glassed windows. Green living walls will adorn the exterior of the building, adding to the area’s environmental richness.
Visitors to the Market Hall will be greeted by landscaped public areas and play areas, with ample amounts of seating to provide space for relaxing and socialising.
A rain garden, comprised of native shrubs, perennials, and flowers, will buffer Hall Street with a designated play space which could include oversized see-saws and trampolines.
During the day, the area’s floral displays will bring colour and greenery to the area, whilst at night there is potential for visually stunning lights to brighten the area with a vivid display of colour.
The development will incorporate design features to respect the local heritage, potentially including:
• Inscriptions of St Helens Heritage in stone along footpaths.
• Specially designed glass detailing into outdoor seating.
• Educational signage to provide information about St Helen’s history.
NEW HOMES, ATTRACTIVE HOTEL, AND OUTDOOR COMMUNITY SPACE
A new 150-bed hotel, across six storeys, will provide visitors to St Helens with a convenient, high-quality, and comfortable place to stay. For many visitors to our town, the hotel will provide a first and lasting impression of St Helen’s and define the quality of their time here. Creating a hotel that feels luxurious will be an important part of showcasing the very best that our town has to offer.
The hotel will include a breakfast bar / restaurant, workspace, and a range of accessible rooms.
Demand studies evidenced the need for an additional hotel in the town centre and when the concept was market tested there was a great deal of interest from global hotel brands and that very much remains the case. International businesses operating in St Helens tell us that there is a need for high quality accommodation for corporate visitors with a focus on including bespoke facilities for extended stays.
Sitting alongside the hotel will be new apartments and townhouses, that offer high-quality living in the heart of the town. These much-needed homes consist of eight townhouses and 56 apartments, providing a perfect blend of simplicity and elegance for modern living.
Decorative perforated panels will adorn the exterior of the apartments, designed to reflect the architectural heritage of the local area. Juliet and projecting balconies will fill apartments with natural light and help keep homes cool during the summer.
Ground floor retail (344sqm.) will contribute to creating a vibrant street scene. A new pedestrian street will be created next to the apartments to create a car-free and safe environment, which encourages residents to opt for active travel options over private car usage.
High-quality townhouses will offer a greater mix in housing choice to residents, ensuring there is variety in house type and size provided as part of the development.
A private courtyard, comprised of green space and planted with trees, shrubs and flowerbeds, will be located in the heart of the development. It will provide residents with a place to relax and socialise, fostering a strong sense of community. Decorative gates will run along the exterior of the courtyard to enhance security.
A publicly accessible St Helens-themed memorial garden will be designed to provide a space for reflection, peace, and an opportunity to reconnect with the rich natural environment.
A residents’ car park will sit adjacent to the courtyard. Residents’ parking will include accessible bays and electric vehicle charging points.
STATE-OF-THE-ART AND FLEXIBLE OFFICE SPACE
Five floors of high-quality Grade A office space, complete with a rooftop terrace and breakout social spaces.
The building will be designed to the highest sustainable standards, drawing upon innovative construction methods and materials to design sustainability into the fabric of the development.
Located within the heart of St Helens, staff will be within a short walk of an array of shops, restaurants, and retail.
The surrounding landscape will be designed to create a green and nature-rich environment, incorporating tree-lined streets planted with colourful flowerbeds. Outdoor seating will be carefully positioned to offer private breakout spaces for team collaboration, space for socialising or a place for rest. Local artists will be invited to provide displays that will add to the area’s vibrant atmosphere.
Pedestrian and cycle paths will be prioritised in the surrounding streets, whilst secure cycle and locker storage within the building will further encourage staff to opt for active travel options.
The exterior of the building will be designed to mirror the finely detailed stone craftsmanship of the Town Hall, incorporating similar design patterns and brick style.
ENHANCED AND LANDSCAPED STREETS
Creating a vibrant, attractive, and people-first town centre starts with delivering a safe and accessible street scene.
This approach will be taken throughout Phase One of the Masterplan but will be especially prevalent along a renewed Hall Street.
The street, like much of the town centre, will be reconfigured to adopt a pedestrian-first approach to layout. This will include a narrowed single-lane road and a new cycle-lane to encourage slow-moving traffic, with pedestrian and cycle crossings installed at intermediate points along the street.
The road will be softened and landscaped with beautiful street planting, including trees and shrubs.
SITE CONSIDERATIONS
A CLIMATE-RESILIENT TOWN CENTRE
Our approach aims to create a town centre that is designed to meet the challenges of tomorrow, by delivering a clean, sustainable, and innovative development. Our plans will help the council achieve its ambition of being carbon neutral by 2040.
Key features include:
· Bickerstaffe Street will be pedestrianised to create a car-free and safe environment, which encourages residents to opt for active travel options over private car usage.
· Other surrounding streets will be redesigned to prioritise the movement of pedestrians and cyclists, improving accessibility between the town centre and key transport links, such as the railway and bus stations.
· Landscaped streets will incorporate trees, robust planting and shrubs, alongside green spaces for relaxation and socialising.
· Electric vehicle charging points available to local residents.
· Sustainable design features will be woven into the external façade of buildings, including potential for a living green wall on the new Market Hall.
HERITAGE
Whilst modern and innovative in design, the regenerated public realm and state-of-the-art buildings will incorporate features that signpost and honour St Helens heritage.
Building design:
- The external appearance of buildings will draw upon material and brick colours to reflect the existing surrounding architecture. For example:
- The new hotel will draw inspiration from the St Helens Reflection Court by incorporating an external clock face to watch over the surrounding area, while the brick design will also mirror the court’s curved façade.
- The composition of the new townhouses will mirror similar scale of existing properties in Hall Street and the George Street Quarter.
- The structure of the new market hall will reflect the town’s original market constructed in 1850.
- Design patterns will be etched into the external façade of the buildings, signposting the area’s architectural history. These could include intricate patterns that adorn panels along building façades, that draw inspiration from the surrounding area.
Public Realm
Landscaped streets could include inscriptions of the town’s rich history, providing visitors with information points to learn more about the area’s heritage.
Intricate levels of decoration will be incorporated into the fabric of the streets, with ideas ranging from decorative fences to place-specific detailing.
Public art will be incorporated into landscaped streets, providing beautiful community seating, as well as display artwork that contributes to the area’s rich environment.
INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE
The town centre will be designed to create a family-friendly environment, with inclusive and accessible places for play, relaxation and socialising.
The space has been designed to provide a place for the community to come together, creating a vibrant, safe, and energetic atmosphere both day and night.
Key features include:
- Play areas for children, including potential for an iconic giant see-saw and integrated street play with outdoor trampolines and colourful play elements.
- Potential for colourful light displays and water fountains.
- Signage and wayfinding that point visitors in the right direction and provides information about the area’s rich heritage and encourages walkable routes through the town centre.
- Communal stage within the market hall, providing space for local artists and acts to perform.
- Stunning displays of public artwork, including potential for glass sculptures, will add to the area’s vibrant atmosphere and promote local artists.
- Green spaces of native trees and shrubs, alongside colourful flowerbeds and benches.
Residents will also enjoy access to a private internal courtyard, complete with climate-resilient planting and recreational opportunities.
ABOUT US
St Helens Borough Council has formed a 20-year partnership with The English Cities Fund (ECF) to bring forward a once-in-a-generation opportunity to regenerate St Helens Town Centre.
ECF is a partnership between Muse, Legal and General and Homes England. The partnership was formed in 2001 and has worked with councils, landowners and communities to create exceptional places across the UK. ECF brings together investment, regeneration expertise and long-term commitment to shape towns and cities for the better. You can learn more about St Helens Borough Council here and ECF here.
The nationwide place maker, Muse, has almost 40 years of experience creating mixed-use communities across the UK.
Its track record of leading complex, mixed-use regeneration gives it the experience to deliver successful places, with the emphasise on sustainability, community and quality.
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