Apartment plans for former court

Apartment plans for former court Apartment plans for former court

A FORMER court building could be transformed into apartments if plans for a new town centre development are approved by St Helens Council.

Liverpool-based firm BPS Development has drawn up plans to convert Rexmore House on Cotham Street –formerly the home of St Helens County Court – and offices on Barrow Street into flats.

In total the developer aims to create 36 apartments and 14 parking spaces.

The dated exterior of the five storey Rexmore House would be given a significant facelift as part of the plans.

The apartments, a mix of one and two bedrooms, would be located in upper floors above shops that line both Barrow Street and Cotham Street.

Comments(15)

Robbob5 says...
11:03am Wed 5 Sep 12

I dont know about "could be",i think it "will be" as they know how many apartments they will get out of it.

mikeperry109 says...
11:31am Wed 5 Sep 12

What we need in St. Helens is affordable family housing for purchase or rent - there are plenty of sites, but no will nor vision. At least when the council owned public housing there was new build until Thatcher put a stop to it and forced up rents for private landlords to make more profit. What we have now are housing associations stuffed with highly paid executives - many of them former council officers - and thousands of families waiting for decent housing.

frankly says...
12:01pm Wed 5 Sep 12

more flats...how many does this town need ?

Robbob5 says...
1:22pm Wed 5 Sep 12

36 Apartments & 14 car park spaces....just say about 25 people have cars,where the other 11park?

mikeperry109 says...
1:38pm Wed 5 Sep 12

Robbob5 wrote:
36 Apartments & 14 car park spaces....just say about 25 people have cars,where the other 11park?
They haven't thought of that one yet - makes you weep!

PM says...
3:42pm Wed 5 Sep 12

mikeperry109 wrote:
What we need in St. Helens is affordable family housing for purchase or rent - there are plenty of sites, but no will nor vision. At least when the council owned public housing there was new build until Thatcher put a stop to it and forced up rents for private landlords to make more profit. What we have now are housing associations stuffed with highly paid executives - many of them former council officers - and thousands of families waiting for decent housing.
I agree entirely , the demolition of hundreds of council houses in St Helens ten years ago has resulted in a massive housing shortage and a large increase in those on housing waiting lists.Private apartments will not ease that demand in a low wage community like St Helens.

Sankey says...
6:05pm Wed 5 Sep 12

Robbob5 wrote:
36 Apartments & 14 car park spaces....just say about 25 people have cars,where the other 11park?
I think there is some planning law that says you must have less parking spaces than the people there same rule for offices. The logic is it encourages less people to use cars and reduces the overall carbon footprint. Don't blame me its one for the greens to answer.

Robbob5 says...
6:55pm Wed 5 Sep 12

I understand Sankey, I fully do...my 15 year old daughter said some couples have a car each plus just say they have family visitors?
This can go on forever...more council tax i say!

quizling says...
9:48pm Wed 5 Sep 12

how come Helena can spend umpteen millions on a swish new office block (what did they use before and what is wrong with the one in robins lane?)but fail the needy people of the town and if you need a residence you are treated like something that is stuck to the bottom of their shoes

Robbob5 says...
10:49pm Wed 5 Sep 12

Well said quizling....the mind boggles!

anthonywilson says...
10:49pm Wed 5 Sep 12

PM wrote:
mikeperry109 wrote:
What we need in St. Helens is affordable family housing for purchase or rent - there are plenty of sites, but no will nor vision. At least when the council owned public housing there was new build until Thatcher put a stop to it and forced up rents for private landlords to make more profit. What we have now are housing associations stuffed with highly paid executives - many of them former council officers - and thousands of families waiting for decent housing.
I agree entirely , the demolition of hundreds of council houses in St Helens ten years ago has resulted in a massive housing shortage and a large increase in those on housing waiting lists.Private apartments will not ease that demand in a low wage community like St Helens.
Its called social engineering.

Many former Council Houses were knocked down prior to the stock transfer process when they could and should have been refurbished. Now we have a significant waiting list and I'm told if people are waiting in band C or D they will have a long wait to be housed. What is even more amazing is that some properties have been knocked down in certain streets in St Helens while those of the same type in the next street were refurbished. You couldn't make it up.
No doubt that when all the census data is processed some areas will appear to have been improved and regenerated masking what has really happened. The Council benefit by having more private houses built on former Council housing sites paying more council tax often in a higher band.
It would be interesting to also know in how many of these new estates (built on land formerly occupied with Council housing before they were demolished) are now Buy to Lets occupied with private rented sector tenants rather than actual owner occupiers as well. In some areas I suspect the figure might be quite high.

papyt says...
2:21pm Fri 7 Sep 12

about 20 years ago you could buy a terraced house in this town to do up for £15-20k,i remember 30 years ago a close friend who is still a major builder in the town buying run down properties for a couple of thousand,those same properties are now in the high £90k bracket and outside the first time buyers pocket,how many homes have the council bulldozed down in the past 10 years? only to be left with scrub land now,and what about the very costly makeover of properties in the north rd area,knock good houses down then build identical ones but fewer in there place.

mikeperry109 says...
2:47pm Fri 7 Sep 12

The result of the free market, property speculation, casino lending etc. and ordinary people, particularly the young, are suffering - locked out of the buying market, there are insufficient public or housing association properties, so they are forced to pay over the odds to private landlords. The country needs a million new homes for families, yet St. Helens builds flats. No vision, no energy, hence the decline.

mikeperry109 says...
2:49pm Fri 7 Sep 12

PM wrote:
mikeperry109 wrote:
What we need in St. Helens is affordable family housing for purchase or rent - there are plenty of sites, but no will nor vision. At least when the council owned public housing there was new build until Thatcher put a stop to it and forced up rents for private landlords to make more profit. What we have now are housing associations stuffed with highly paid executives - many of them former council officers - and thousands of families waiting for decent housing.
I agree entirely , the demolition of hundreds of council houses in St Helens ten years ago has resulted in a massive housing shortage and a large increase in those on housing waiting lists.Private apartments will not ease that demand in a low wage community like St Helens.
Dear me, PM, we will be meeting for a pint at this rate if we carry on agreeing with each other. Am I converting you to socialism?

moonman77 says...
12:29am Tue 11 Sep 12

papyt wrote:
about 20 years ago you could buy a terraced house in this town to do up for £15-20k,i remember 30 years ago a close friend who is still a major builder in the town buying run down properties for a couple of thousand,those same properties are now in the high £90k bracket and outside the first time buyers pocket,how many homes have the council bulldozed down in the past 10 years? only to be left with scrub land now,and what about the very costly makeover of properties in the north rd area,knock good houses down then build identical ones but fewer in there place.
10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago. Time move on. Unlike you.
Its 2012 at the height of a recession. Buildings cost money whether to build or maintain. Land can always be utilised in the future.

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