Latest transformation plans for St Helens town centre unveiled
Designs for the revitalisation of St Helens town centre have been unveiled, ahead of a series of public consultation events.
Art and design ideas that reflect the proud heritage, buildings and features of the town are at the heart of the plans.
St Helens Borough Council and its project partner, The English Cities Fund (ECF), aim to transform the town centre with a sense of place and pride restored.
Jon Matthews Architects has created the masterplan and detailed design of the three central areas in proposals for the first phase of regeneration.
They are based around a new market hall that will feature approximately 23 stalls, food and beverage outlets, a bar and performance area, along with a range of other amenities to encourage and cater for visitors through the daytime and evenings.
Outside the market hall will be space for play and child-focused street furniture.
The market hall will be flanked by a mixed-use area set around a 150-bedroom hotel, 64 homes and 10,915 sq ft modern retail space, along with a new 49,670 sq ft sustainable office building.
Cllr David Baines, leader of St Helens Borough Council, said: “This is an extremely exciting time for our borough with major regeneration projects at various stages of development, from new schools already delivered and Glass Futures nearing completion, to the Parkside redevelopment and much, much more.
“Our town centres in St Helens and Earlestown are key to our borough and of huge importance to local people. Their rejuvenation is critical to our borough’s future, and I am delighted to see our once in a lifetime plans for St Helens reach the next stage of the process.”
Stuart Rogers, project director at ECF, said: “We’re looking forward to showcasing the thinking and detail that has gone into preparing for the next stage of this unique project. Everyone involved is committed to engaging with the community and setting the town on a path that will create a positive legacy to benefit people for generations to come.”
Bus station plans
People are invited to have their say on the St Helens town centre proposals across a series of consultation events taking place this month. Members of the project team, including the architects, will be on hand to talk through the plans and answer questions from the community.
The first events have been confirmed and others will follow shortly, with details posted on St Helens Council’s social media accounts and via the consultation website, www.sthelenstowncentre.co.uk where members of the community can also view the plans and submit feedback. The consultation will close Monday, June 12.
The confirmed dates so far include:
- May 23-26, (11am-4pm) – 51 Church Street, St Helens town centre
- May 27, (10am-3pm) – 51 Church Street, St Helens town centre
St Helens Borough Council is working on a 20-year regeneration plan for the area with the ECF – a national development partnership between nationwide placemaker, Muse Places, Legal and General and Homes England.
The project team includes: Jon Matthews Architects as architect; Planit as landscape architects; Hilson Moran as mechanical and electrical engineers; Heyne Tillet Steel as civil and structural engineers; CBRE as planning consultant; Cundall as sustainability consultant; WSP as highways engineer; Design Fire Consultants as fire engineers; Arcadis as project manager; Faithful+Gould as cost consultant.
Earlestown has its own dedicated focus within the wider strategy, with an initial focus on updating the town’s market square and town hall, a project boosted by the award of £20m last year from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
