ST HELENS Council has drawn up a masterplan that aims to shape the prosperity of the borough over the next 15 years.

In an announcement this week, the council boasted of being the “first (local) authority in the Liverpool City Region to complete a core strategy”.

It sets out strategic planning policies for the regeneration and development of the borough.

More than 4,000 individuals and organisations have helped shape the local plan.

Its policies will be used to assess planning applications, preventing poor quality development and protect St Helens “most important features”.

Key objectives are:

  • To provide additional land for employment opportunities
  • 570 houses to be built each year
  • To review where and how we meet long term housing need
  • To make sure important infrastructure such as schools, roads and community facilities are provided and protected
  • To protect town and local shopping centres from inappropriate uses
  • To encourage development for better environments and communities
  • To make new development more accessible and provide better transport links
  • To protect important open spaces and recreation facilities.

Council Leader Marie Rimmer said: “This milestone is important. We have a plan that reflects the needs and aspirations of the people of the borough.

“It will enable us to require better development and we can move on to the next stage of making plans with our communities for their areas.

“Importantly is will allow us to say no to developments that we do not like and are not compatible with our borough.”