PLANS outlining details of the Florida Farm North development have been approved.

Hybrid planning permission was granted by St Helens Council’s planning committee in January 2017, allowing developers Bericote Properties to build two distribution and industrial warehouses on green belt land in Haydock.

On Tuesday night, the planning committee discussed two reserved matters applications for each of the two proposed units on land north of East Lancashire Road, Florida Farm, Slag Lane.

In a packed meeting room in St Helens town hall, members discussed the two applications, with various members of the public voicing their objections in the public speaking section of the meeting.

Melanie Hale, the council’s development control manager, said seven objection letters have been received following the publication of the agenda, on top of the 45 letters already received.

While there were some changes to the original plans, including a reduction in size of Unit 1, council officers recommended that both the applications be approved, subject to numerous conditions.

Proposals for ‘Unit 1’ state it will be a “34,114m sq commercial/industrial building” with “ancillary office and welfare hubs and the provision of associated infrastructure including roads, parking, footpaths, internal landscaping, noise mitigation measures and sustainable urban drainage systems”.

‘Unit 2’ is proposed as a 48,634m sq commercial/industrial building.

Keith Wilson, development director of Bericote Properties, said it has secured an operator for Unit 1 and an investment partner for Unit 2, which has committed to investing £40 million.

Mr Wilson said: “Because of St Helens’ foresight to identify and back the extension of the existing Haydock industrial estate, we stand today on the threshold of securing over £100 million for St Helens.

“A significant achievement in these uncertain times.”

Mr Wilson said “commercial sensitivity” prevented him from revealing the occupier of Unit 1, adding that it will deliver 1,000 new jobs.

He said the bigger, Unit 2, will help provide 1,500 jobs.

Haydock councillor Martin Bond said he was “extremely sceptical” the scheme will deliver 2,500 jobs and accused Bericote of “patronising” the committee.

Cllr Allan Jones, leader of St Helens Conservative Group, said it was time the council started listening to residents’ concerns.

“I’ve looked at all these things the residents have put forward,” the Rainford councillor said.

“Some of them are not that relevant. Some of them are. “We’ve listened to Bericote about this application. I’m sceptical they’ve got everything right.

“It is now time this council listen to the people it represents.”

Unit 1 was approved subject to conditions following a vote, with 10 voting in favour and three voting against. Unit 2 was also approved subject to conditions, with nine voting in favour and four voting against.