PLANS for 258 new homes on the site of former industrial land have been approved by St Helens Borough Council.

Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has been granted planning permission for the development off Sutton Road which forms part part of the wider Moss Nook site.

Taylor Wimpey is developing the first phase of the site, which will contain a series of two, three and four-bedroom homes suited to a variety of needs.

St Helens Borough Council confirmed this week that the plans have been approved under delegated powers.

The overall proposals for Moss Nook set out the intention to build to 900 new homes, open space and sports pitches.

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The site located between Sutton, Parr and Bold. Previous uses of the 95-acre area have included a colliery, chemical works, blockworks and a railway line.

Along with the new homes, Taylor Wimpey says residents will benefit from "a large area of green open space with the inclusion of a children’s play area".

Ian Harrison, land & planning director at Taylor Wimpey North West, said: “We are delighted to have received planning permission for the site in St Helens. The development will provide much needed homes and investments for the local community.

“We will ensure that this latest development positively contributes to the local community, by creating a high quality and attractive housing development with distinctive local character. ”

Construction on site could start by autumn 2021 following the completion of site enabling work by Harworth.

Key design features for the Moss Nook site include landscaping to the Sutton Road and Watery Lane frontages, as well as a distinctive tree lined main spine road to serve the site.

Vehicular access to the development will be from a new spine road, connecting to Sutton Road and Watery Lane.

Harworth successfully secured a £2.05m grant from the Liverpool City Region’s Single Infrastructure Fund (SIF) to deliver the scheme’s spine road and associated landscaping improvements.