WHILE the future of St Helens town centre and its proposed long-term regeneration continues to be a talking point, there are a number of schemes led by independent developers or organisations in the pipeline for 2021.

Recent months have seen a series projects put forward, which could begin to reshape St Helens town centre.

Here is a look at six developments which could be coming to the town centre - spanning residential, and hospitality venues.

  • Community Bookshop

St Helens Star:

A FORMER furniture shop premises is to be transformed into a community bookshop as a long-term ambition comes to fruition.

The idea for a community bookshop started following the closure of Westfield Street store Wardleworth's in 2019.

The St Helens Book Stop, a community benefit society, was launched to realise the ambition, with the efforts of trustees Brian Leyland, Julia Cadman and Steven Davies and also former Wardleworth's manager Anna Peacock.

A £40,000 fundraising community share target was reached meaning the bookshop will go ahead, set to be located at the former Furniture Boutique on Bridge Street.

For more about the project click here.

  • The Smokehouse by The Dean

St Helens Star:

THE owners of a town centre restaurant were granted permission to create a smokehouse.

Eddie Dean, owner of The Dean on Barrow Street, has been granted planning permission to create a new venue.

The new premises, to be situated at 33 Barrow Street is to be called The Smokehouse By The Dean.

Husband and wife team Eddie and Victoria Zsigmond Dean realised their dream when they opened The Dean in March 2019.

The pair transformed the former Willowbrook Hospice shop with the aim of bringing more people into the town.

For more, see here.

  • Gym and flats at former WH Smith

St Helens Star:

A PLANNING application seeking permission to turn the former WH Smith store into a gym has been approved.

WH Smith on Church Street closed its doors in 2014.

Since then the site has been empty and been an eyesore on the busy town centre street.

However plans were submitted during the summer to turn the ground floor of the two storey store and the neighbouring former Bella Italia store into a gym with flats above.

See more here.

  • Former Woolworths building

St Helens Star:

PLANS are in the pipeline for 18 flats at the former Woolworths building and create to commercial units.

Proposals seeking permission for the change of use of the vacant building on Church Street, with four ground floor commercial units were submitted in December.

The building has lay empty for much of the past 12 years, since Woolies' closure in December 2008, having been based at the premises since 1960.

It was used occupied by Poundworld for a period before it relocated, with the occasional 'pop up' retail use but the building has been largely unused. The building went on the market in 2019.

Proposals have been sent to the council after chartered surveyor Cosey Homes took over the former Woolies store.

Plans include to break up the space into smaller retail units and create a business hub along with the flats.

See more here.

  • Imperial Quarter

St Helens Star:

A former town centre public toilets is being converted into street food units, a bar and ice cream shop.

Imperial Bar owner Ian Pitts has converted the building on Brook Street, St Helens.

The new development is called Imperial Quarter.

Mr Pitts owns nearby establishments including the Imperial Bar & Terrace, Cork & Dough, The Secret Garden, The Church, The Wine Bar and The Yard.

He started converting the former toilet buildings into a pop-up bar last summer and then unveiled much more ambitious plans for the site.

See more here.

  • Wine bar and restaurant

A former music shop is to be turned into a restaurant and wine bar.

A planning application had been submitted to St Helens Council seeking permission to transform the former Peter Darwin Music store at 19-21 George Street.

The plans have been approved, which seek to turn the ground and first floor of the building into a venue and to construct a rear extension.

The building, which falls within the George Street conservation area of St Helens town centre, has been out of use since 2018.

The proposed establishment will add the mix of venues in the area, which includes the restaurant Sabroso, La Casa Vieja and Ba’bursi.

Two pubs, the Royal Alfred and The George, are also nearby.

See more here.