AN UPCOMING housing development which will start to be built in the new year will bring benefits to the local economy, councillors were told.
The Star reported last month after Stanley Land and Homes received permission from St Helens Council's planning committee to create 168 new affordable homes to regenerate a site off Lancots Lane in Sutton.
Works are expected to begin on the project in January on the collection of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes, being developed in partnership with housing provider Torus.
The homes will be developed on an 11-acre derelict brownfield site which lies in a sustainable location close to transport links, amenities and parks.
The developer says houses will be fully compliant with new building regulations, ensuring they are well insulated and thermally efficient with low running costs, and will be made available for affordable rent, helping to address high demand for this type of property in the area.
Recommending approval of the application, planning officer Joe Nanson said in a report presented to the committee: "In economic terms the site does not currently contribute economically to the well-being of the borough.
"The proposed development would create jobs in the construction phase and also introduce new residents who would spend money in the local economy".
It was said "a planning condition is recommended to ensure local opportunities are maximised for the jobs created in the construction phase and that the scheme should accord with the St Helens Council’s Construction Charter. Therefore, the proposal is considered to meet the aims of economic sustainable development".
The report added: "With regards to the social aspect of the proposal, the development would deliver a range of affordable homes on a vacant site, improving the housing stock in the borough and creating a sustainable place for people to live.
"The development layout submitted shows how a spacious layout can be provided for the number of dwellings proposed whilst incorporating areas of public open space and landscaping."
It was added: "In brief the proposal would have environmental benefits in terms of biodiversity improvements, it would achieve a good living environment for future occupiers without harm to the environment of the local or wider area."
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In terms of the impact on the highways, the report said that given assessment of traffic movements from the development and impact on surrounding junctions "it is not considered that the development would give rise to significant vehicle movements which would cause unacceptable harm to the capacity of the surrounding highway network".
It was added: "Nearly all dwellings in the development would have two off-street parking spaces, nine dwellings would have a single parking space to allow for additional landscaping in the development.
"Although this would not comply with the typically applied parking standards for the council, the site is sustainably located with access to public transport and non-car modes of travel,
"The proposal would not harm the safety or capacity of the surrounding highway network and would provide improvements to public transport infrastructure."
The application received unanimous approval from the planning committee at the town hall in November.
The contractor for the project is Holmpatrick Developments and the professional team includes MPSL Planning and Design (Architect), Alan Johnston Partnership (Engineers) and Hive (Planning consultants).
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