PLANS to bring Earlestown Town Hall back into use have been brought forward into the first phase of the town centre’s regeneration project.

The historic town hall is hoped to return to its former glory as a community hub in the area.

External work on the Grade II-listed building has been completed following a 12-month restoration.

Plans to restore the town hall follow the £20m grant from the government’s Levelling Up Fund towards the town centre’s regeneration project awarded earlier this year.

Interior restoration will now be delivered alongside improvements to the town’s market square, which will include the creation of a permanent market canopy over part of the square that has been inspired by the iconic nine arches of the Sankey Viaduct.

Improvements are also to be made to Earlestown Rail Station, together with extensive public realm upgrades across the town centre.

Community Hub

The town hall, which has been closed since 2008, will be restored to provide a range of new commercial and community spaces and facilities.

These include flexible workspaces and meeting rooms, a refurbished main hall and stage, and potentially a new café with community courtyard garden, capable of hosting small outdoor events and providing a quiet sanctuary for peaceful relaxation.

Historic market 

In latest proposals between St Helens Council and its development partner The English Cities Fund, the new market canopy has been relocated to the Haydock Street side of the square, to allow for more flexible use of the market square and create unobstructed views of the historic obelisk and restored town hall. 

ECF will now work closely with market traders, local businesses, and the wider community to finalise its designs for the new market square, which will be complemented by extensive public realm improvements along Bridge Street, Market Street, Oxford Street and Queen Street.

More information on the evolving designs will be showcased to the public in early summer, with details of community engagement events set to be announced soon.

Detailed designs will be submitted for planning permission before the end of 2023, with work expected to start on the ground in summer 2024.

Earlestown Rail Station

The work to support transport improvements at Earlestown Rail Station, which has the world's oldest rail junction and station building still in passenger service, is being progressed by the council with rail industry partners.