550 homes planned in blocks of up to 12-storeys high

A MAJOR plan for the construction of up to 550 homes in four blocks of up to 12 storeys high is to come before Warrington’s planning chiefs this Thursday.

The outline scheme, which also includes a 160-bed hotel and 3,000 sq metres of office and retail floor space was originally approved by the borough council’s development management committee in 2022.
It comes before the committee again this week – with an officer recommendation for approval – because of the adoption of the Warrington Local Plan last year.
The site is on 1.2 hectares of land west of Winwick Street, bounded by Tanners Lane and Winwick Street.
To the south of the site is the Kings Head public house and to the west is the Three Pigeons public house, both of which are Grade 2 Listed buildings. The Base and the University Technical College are also located to the west. Most of the site is currently used for car parking.
Officers say the development will be captable of improving the visual amenity of the local area, providing an acceptable standard of living for existing and future residents and will not result in unacceptable harm to the borough’s heritage assets.

Borough council planners are recommending the scheme be approved, subject to conditions including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable housing provision and a contribution of £207 per dwelling to the Town Centre Travel Plan.
In addition to the Listed pubs, the former Presbyterian Chapel on the opposite side of Winwick Street (now known as The Boultings), St Albans Church and Presbytery (further west along Tanners Lane) and 39-49, 51-61 and 63-67 Bewsey Street (to the south west of the application site) are also Grade II listed.
Warrington Central Station, 25 and 27 Winwick Street and St Albans memorial are included on the council’s list of local heritage assets. The Winwick Street conservation area adjoins the site to the east, on the opposite side of Winwick Street, and the Bewsey Street conservation area is to the west on the opposite side of Dallam Lane.