Intro text
Following on from the success of the roundtable discussions with Liverpool City Council and Halton Borough Council (see here). The PL Development + Regeneration Advisory Board recently met with St Helens and Knowsley Borough Councils to hear more about their exciting opportunities and how public/private collaboration is needed to make these come to fruition.
St Helens Borough Council
Lisa Harris and Sean Traynor from St Helens Council shared their ambitious vision for inclusive growth and revitalisation, highlighting St Helens’ unique approach to development. Following years of preparation, the council has built a strong Growth, Development, and Prosperity team and now actively engages with private sector partners to strengthen community-focused growth. This compact yet effective structure focuses on targeted, impactful projects to directly benefit local residents.
Key regeneration initiatives are underway, including the transformation of Watson Street’s historic glassworks into a mixed-use area and a comprehensive masterplan for St Helens Town Centre led by the English Cities Fund. The council’s swift CPO process and successful relocation of vendors showcase a committed approach to urban renewal. Earlestown, too, is seeing revitalization through Levelling Up Fund-supported public realm improvements and enhanced transportation, helping to drive residential growth. Housing and employment sites remain central to St Helens’ growth strategy. Major projects like Moss Nook and Bold Forest Garden Village are advancing, bolstered by Brownfield funding and Homes England support, while strategic employment zones, including Parkside Freeport, continue to attract investment. The council’s Life Science Investment Zone focuses on manufacturing innovation, with projects like Glass Futures supporting both industry and decarbonization efforts in line with the council’s long-term vision.
Throughout, St Helens Council underlines the importance of collaborative relationships with the private sector to enhance delivery capacity and support regional growth. With strong foundations now in place, they invite partnerships with advisory groups and businesses to drive forward the collective success for the Liverpool City Region.
More can be found out about investment opportunities in St Helens here
Knowsley Borough Council
Tony Clark, Assistant Executive Director for Development & Infrastructure at Knowsley Council, recently shared key updates on the borough’s regeneration and development projects with Professional Liverpool’s Development and Regeneration Advisory Board, highlighting major initiatives that the Council and partners are working on.
Knowsley Council is making significant strides in regeneration and development across key areas including Kirkby, Huyton, Halewood, and Prescot. In Kirkby, projects like the Town Centre Retail Extension have drawn new investment interest with new businesses and housing developments underway. Plans for the Kirkby Gateway Site are also in progress. Huyton is focusing on a commercial district which will include a new ‘village green’ and public spaces, with plans to resubmit for government and city region funding after missing out on previous rounds of levelling-up support. Halewood continues to thrive commercially with major companies like Ford and Jaguar Land Rover located there, along with new housing projects and plans to improve the connectivity to and from the district centre. In Prescot, the Shakespeare North Playhouse has significant increased visitor footfall, helping to create a thriving night-time economy. In addition to this, an emerging vision for redevelopment of the Prescot Shopping Centre will bring new residential units.
Knowsley has delivered ambitious housing growth with over 7,000 homes constructed in the past decade, of which, over 25% are affordable homes. New Employment hubs like Neon at Earlsfield Park are being developed with funding opportunities to support health and life science investment being available via the Liverpool City Region Investment Zone Programme. Paul Melton, AECOM Liverpool Office Leader and Professional Liverpool’s D&R member, is a Kirkby resident and praised the impact of Knowsley’s initiatives, especially on local families, citing personal benefits from the Kirkby Town Centre redevelopment and the recently completed new Headbolt Lane Train Station.
Overall, Knowsley Council remains committed to delivering high quality housing, regeneration, and economic development throughout the region to support local residents and businesses. More information can be found through the Invest Knowsley website.
