£200m St Helens regeneration scheme passes final hurdle

A £200m regeneration scheme in St Helens, which will bring forward up to 1,100 new homes and a hotel and commercial space, has passed its final planning hurdle.Plans to regenerate the redundant land at the Cowley Hill Works and deliver a residential-led neighbourhood were approved by the planning committee in March 2021.Now a section 106 agreement between the local authority and the developer has been completed, with outline planning permission secured.A joint venture between land specialists BXB and developer Promenade Estates, as well as delivering up to 1,100 new homes, the scheme includes a hotel and commercial space off College Street, north of the town centre.The development sits on 104 acres of the former Cowley Hill Works, operated by NSG Group, adjacent to the firm’s glass coating facility which continues to operate.Cowley Hill Works is the largest brownfield land allocation within St Helens’ emerging local plan. The redevelopment of the site is expected to generate capital expenditure of £200m. A further £15m is expected to be spent on goods and services each year by the new residents and £1.5m of annual council tax receipts generated on full occupation.