Innovative New Health Centre scheme for St Helens – hard negotiation by Walsingham Planning delivers the scheme plus enabling development

Planning permission was secured by Walsingham Planning on behalf of clients Renova Developments Ltd for a very striking, state of the art health centre, pharmacy, retail and mixed residential development.

The development will result in the amalgamation of four individual GP practices from around the St Helens area bringing them together into one new purpose-built facility with the residential scheme as the “enabling” development to support the high costs of the new health facility.

Walsingham Planning became involved early in the process at the request of the developer and was tasked with achieving planning permission for the total project, including all negotiations with the local authority and other statutory bodies. This was all duly achieved within an agreed timescale.

Complexities with such a modern design and use of materials next to a traditional and visually prominent Grade II listed church (St Mary’s) were considered in the evolution of the scheme, with Walsingham Planning negotiating throughout the process with the project team, the local planning authority and any other interested bodies to secure a satisfactory planning permission. The approved scheme will provide benefits to the local area with improved service provision and by opening up vistas through the development site to the church beyond to create a new townscape for St Helens.

Walsingham Planning worked with St Helens Council to develop these proposals as a major catalyst for the regeneration of this largely run down and underused area of St Helens town centre. It was submitted that this development will bring confidence to other investors resulting in further regeneration proposals in the centre. As a consequence we were able to secure a better negotiating position on the other issues that arose, including layout, affordable housing, trees and landscaping, bats in relation to demolition, highway improvements, public art.

Walsingham Planning were then commissioned so that the scheme could be delivered by discharging the planning conditions to ensure that the financial closure could be secured in time for the scheduled start on site

Walsingham Planning also submitted another planning application on an adjoining site and obtained planning permission which has enabled St Helens Council to proceed with compulsory purchase powers as part of the regeneration of the centre.