PROPOSALS to build hundreds of homes on a former distribution depot will be decided this week.

Suttons Group, in partnership with St Helens Council, intends to build up to 352 homes at the former depot on the Linkway Distribution Park adjacent to Elton Head Road in Thatto Heath.

The hybrid planning application, which also comprises of a full planning permission for demolition of existing buildings and structures, will go before the council’s planning committee on Tuesday.

The main part of the 30-acre site has been used as a storage and distribution centre, operated by Suttons since the 1950s.

The report says the applicants have not submitted an appraisal of affordable housing provision because the overall costs are "difficult to quantify at this stage".

A report that will go before the planning committee said the site has been marketed since 2006 but has been “largely unsuccessful”.

“The buildings are in poor condition and becoming obsolete in design and function,” the report says.

“Also, they are inefficient in terms of energy and will fail legislative requirements.”

It says that Suttons operate a number of short term storage contracts for customers but on average 50 per cent of the floor space is vacant.

The report adds that Suttons’ current contact with Runcorn-based INOVYN, has seen volumes reduce by 60 per cent since December 2016.

It says a combination of reducing volumes and the Mersey tolls has made this contract “unviable”.

“The site is not suitable for modern industrial and distribution end users. These occupiers need to be operational 24 hours a day and seven days a week,” the report says.

“Although not fettered in planning terms by hour’s conditions, such a use is less than ideal because of the proximity of occupied housing.

“Especially in the knowledge that there have been complaints in the past.”

The report says the site can’t meet the requirements of a storage or distribution operator “now or in the future”.

“In principle the site is available for housing development,” the report says.

“The site is located well within the urban area in a sustainable location, well served by the highway network in terms of normal daily trips and commuting and is proximate to the Lea Green Railway Station and other forms of public transport.”

Two letters of objection have been received by the council.

The planning officers’ recommendation is to grant planning permission subject to conditions.