Parkside Regeneration plans another 1.7m sq ft in St Helens
Having secured approval for the 800,000 sq ft first phase, the joint venture between the local council and developer Langtree is drawing up proposals for a clutch of units earmarked for advanced manufacturing businesses.
Parkside Regeneration has launched a consultation on the 1.7m sq ft second phase of the Parkside Colliery redevelopment.
Have your say – parksideconsultation.com
The application for the second phase of the regeneration of the Newton-le-Willows site will be submitted to St Helens Council in hybrid form by the end of August.
Full consent is sought for the infrastructure and enabling works, while outline permission is sought for the buildings.
The configuration of the units will be determined at a later date.
John Downes, chairman of Parkside Regeneration and group chief executive of Langtree, believes the scheme could have a significant impact on the local area.
“Phase two of Parkside has the potential to generate around £100m of annual economic output,” he said
“This is a transformational number which, when added to the GVA from our first phase, promises a step-change for the local and regional economy.”
Cllr Kate Groucutt, St Helens Council’s cabinet member for business, culture and leisure, has urged residents to have their say on the proposals.
“This is an opportunity for residents in Newton-le-Willows and across our borough to have their say on how we make the most of the opportunities that this second phase at Parkside can bring,” she said.
“In this second phase, we want to focus on particular opportunities for advanced manufacturing that will bring long-term, high-quality jobs to our borough, so we want to hear your views on the plans.”
Phase one of Parkside was granted its final consent in March 2024 when a reserved matters planning application for just shy of 800,000 sq ft of industrial accommodation was approved by St Helens Council.
Phase one, approved after being called in 2020, also features a £38m link road connecting the scheme to the M6.
Subject to approval of plans for phase two, the total quantum of space at Parkside will be around 2.5m sq ft. Parkside Colliery extends to 500 acres in total. 120 acres are earmarked for redevelopment with the rest preserved as public open space.
Spawforths is the planning consultant for the scheme, with Curtins advising on highways and transport matters, Fletcher Rae is the architect and TPM Landscape is advising on landscapes.
I am old enough to remember when proposals for this site included a rail freight terminal, and the developer was promising a network of bus links from the surrounding area, in perpetuity!
I can see no mention of public transport access to the site in these proposals, meaning that the buildings will simply become surrounded by a sea of cars. As a minimum, the site needs a frequent shuttle bus to NleW Station, but, ideally links from Warrington, St Helens, Wigan etc.
We have to require developers to do better…
By Prescotian
Good news. Push on.
By Anonymous
People asking for public transport links etc really need to ignored- this area is dominated by cars and road and the cost of which should be reduced- public transport to sites like this is a waste of money
By Stuart
Agree with the public transport comments. The buses from St Helens are ok, and just need stretching out to Parkside, but just as many will come from Wigan and Warrington, where the links are a lot poorer. The developers should be made to include electrified rail access to these units too.
By Anonymous
The plans don’t mention the type of employment that would be created In establishing the kind of jobs what is required is high tech high pay not just warehouse and these employment opportunities in the vast number of cases should be made available through the employment scheme run by local Council with training funded by central government
By Les Teeling
Very heavy lorries on the A49 from Winwick church disturb sleep at night house’s shaking as they speed passed .l hope you will keep a check on this when the park side link road is open and stop them coming on and off the A 49 from Winwick and Newton.
By Madeleine Marlow